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Redactions from the Congressional Joint Inquiry (last updated August 19, 2004)
As Fahrenheit 9/11 noted, President George W. Bush did refuse to declassify a 28-page section of a nearly 900-page report by the Senate and House intelligence committees into intelligence failures surrounding the September 11, 2001 attacks. This section is entitled "Finding, Discussion and Narrative Regarding Certain Sensitive National Security Matters," and, based on a small portion that was not redacted, deals with "specific potential sources of foreign support for the September 11 hijackers."
Bush himself defended classifying the section, saying on July 30, 2003 (transcript on-line here) that declassifying it "would show people how we collect information and on whom we're collecting information, which, in my judgment, and in the judgment of senior law enforcement officials in my administration, would be harmful on the war against terror." He also said that "it is important for us to hold this information close so that those who are being investigated aren't alerted."
Many criticized Bush's decision as efforts to protect Saudi Arabia. Senator Bob Graham (D-Florida) said on July 24, 2003 (statement on-line here) that the redactions were "absurd" and were efforts by the Bush administration "to continue to shield make-believe allies who are supporting, either directly or indirectly, terrorists who want to do Americans harm."
What was in that 28-page section?
According to press accounts, this section does discuss possible Saudi financing of the 9/11 hijackers and notes that Saudi officials may have given money to charitable organizations that, in turn, gave the money to al-Qaeda. The Joint Inquiry noted that it did not make any conclusions about such information and instead was referring the material to the FBI and the CIA for further inquiry.
The 9/11 Commission said in its final report that it had found "no credible evidence that any one in the United States gave the hijackers substantial financial assistance" and "no evidence that any foreign government - or foreign government official - supplied any funding." At the same time, it did note that such a conclusion "does not exclude the likelihood that charities with significant Saudi government sponsorship diverted funds to al Qaeda."
According to press accounts, this section also reports that Princess Haifa Al-Faisal, the wife of Saudi ambassador Prince Bandar, gave money to a Saudi citizen living in San Diego, Osama Bassnan, and that this money may have been transferred to two of the September 11 hijackers (Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al Mihdhar). Princess Haifa reportedly gave $2,000 a month beginning in 1998 to Bassnan, whose wife reportedly wrote a letter asking for financial help.
In a November 2002 statement responding to reports about a draft version (on-line here), Princess Haifa called the accusations "outrageous and completely irresponsible." She has acknowledged giving money to the Bassnan family, which she described in her statement as "a needy Saudi family living in the United States," but denied that the money was diverted.
Federal law enforcement officials and the 9/11 Commission have supported Princess Haifa's account. According to the New York Times, federal law enforcement officials said that the FBI had investigated the payments and found no evidence to counter Princess Haifa's account or that the money was diverted. Similarly, the 9/11 Commission noted in footnote 122 to Chapter 5 that "we have found no evidence that Saudi Princess Haifa al Faisal provided any funds to the conspiracy, either directly or indirectly."
Other redacted materials pertained to terrorist communications and weaknesses in the intelligence community's counterterrorism efforts. There were also redactions in a section pertaining to Saudi Arabia's cooperation with the United States; the report notes that several people told or testified to the joint inquiry that Saudi Arabia did not fully cooperate with terrorism investigations before and after the September 11th attacks. Some of the details of such testimony or interviews were redacted.
Sources: The Report of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, "Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Community Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001," Government Printing Office, S-Rept. No. 107-351, H. Rept. No. 107-792 (December 2002) (on-line here). Transcript, President George W. Bush's July 30, 2003 press conference (on-line here). Statement. Senator Bob Graham, July 24, 2003 (on-line here). Princess Haifa al Faisal's November 24, 2002 statement is on-line here. Philip Shenon, Saudis say cash to friend of hijackers was charity, New York Times, November 24, 2002.
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