By Glenn Kessler and Dana Priest
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, July 29, 2003; Page A01


Saudi officials, furious over a congressional report issued last week alleging possible links between individuals in the Saudi government and some of the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers, have requested and been granted a meeting today between Foreign Minister Prince Saud Faisal and President Bush.

The hastily scheduled White House visit, which will take place shortly after Bush meets with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, demonstrates the level of Saudi anger and the kingdom's clout with the Bush administration. A key issue in the dispute is that 28 pages of the 900-page report, in a section dealing with allegations about Saudi Arabia, were entirely classified -- but well-publicized -- and some U.S. officials said it appeared the Saudi government was moving toward asking the president to declassify those pages.

By KEN GUGGENHEIM, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - The White House, facing a crucial meeting Tuesday with Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, refused to declassify part of an intelligence report on possible links between individuals in the Saudi government and some of the Sept. 11 hijackers.

Declassifying 28 pages of redacted material, as has been requested by the Saudi government and some members of Congress, would "compromise our national security and possibly interfere with the investigation of the events of Sept. 11," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.


The decision came against a background of controversy over whether officials in Saudi Arabia had connections with the terrorists