Newly 'Declassified' FBI Documents on Saudi Post-9/11 'Fast Getaway' Flights:Did FBI Drop Ball?

Judicial Watch (public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption) has released newly declassified "Secret" documents from the FBI obtained under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) containing many redactions that the Justice Department claims were made in the privacy interests of the Saudi subjects identified in the report. It still remains uncertain how the Justice Department concluded that privacy privileges of non-US persons trump the public’s interest in obtaining full information about the government’s investigative response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Additional redactions are claimed for law enforcement investigative purposes even though the report claims that “no information of investigative value” was learned from interviews of Bin Laden family members and Saudi royals.

The newly declassifed report details the flights of Saudis out of the U.S. from Las Vegas, and Providence, R.I. as well as revealing FBI procedures in the processing of the Saudi flights, disclosing that Bin Laden family members and Saudi royals were subject to only cursory, pro forma questioning by the FBI. Professional investigators suggest detailed counterterrorism interviews would have taken a minimum of two hours per passenger. There is no evidence offered that any such efforts were made by the FBI.

Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton states:

The FBI’s heavily redacted Saudi flight report is self-serving and raises more questions than it answers. The report shows a lackadaisical investigation. It looks like the FBI dropped the ball.

Newly declassifed FBI Post-9/11 Saudi Flights Documents (PDF format)

Final Report:
www.judicialwatch.org...

Initial Documents:
www.judicialwatch.org...

Source

Immediately following the worst terrorist attacks on US soil, The FACT that bin Laden's family members and other connected Saudi royals were granted such swift getaways without thorough interogations has been like a thorn in my side ever since I first heard of them in the weeks following that horrific day as the WTC debris continued to burn.

I watched closely when 9/11 Commissioner Tim Roehmer questioned the White House's ex-counterterrorism expert Richard Clarke about continuity of government protocol & the clearance of these Saudi flights. The awkward silence and behavior exhibited by the other commissioners during this particular question in testimony was notable, odviously showing the caution & sensitivity of the matter.

I also was very underwhelmed by the vague & shifty responses given by Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud (Bandar Bush?) when questioned about the remarkable speed these post-9/11 Saudi flights were expedited, all while the fiery mass tomb of our fellow citizens continued to burn. IMO the FBI didn't drop the ball, they burnt the playbook.




[edit on 4-4-2005 by Vajrayana]

Thanks for the good post, I've always thought these questions were never properly answered.

Was the President ever asked this in press conferences?

I think we have been watching to many Micheal Moore moives. The Saudis and Bin Laden family members were questioned but more questioning was not needed because they were NOT involved in any way. If they were involved in some way, then why be in the U.S. not all on 9/11???

Thanks Aelita,
I don't know if Bush/Cheney were asked directly in public about this, I know it's more than likely it was brought up by certain 9/11 commissioners in the Pinocchio/Gepetto oath-less closed door session under Gonzalez's close council.

As for Michael Moore, I regard him as an opportunistic slob - nice diversionary tactic to dismiss though. These questions have bothered me long before Moore
started profitting from them. I guess I just have a little more skepticism towards the Saudis than our trusted authorities (& some here) when it comes to the murders of nearly 3000 of my fellow countrymen.

I believe that if the true opinion of the powers that be, were given. We would find that FBI did exactly what they were expected to do.