The White House and intelligence officials are considering declassifying documents known as the “28 pages” which could show the possible existence of a Saudi support network for the hijackers involved in the 9/11 terror attacks.
The discussion of the documents, which have been locked away for 13 years, comes as President Obama plans a trip to Saudi Arabia this month.
Former Sen. Bob Graham (D-Fla.), who helped author the report, told “60 Minutes” the classified information outlines a network of people he believes supported the hijackers while they were in the U.S.
He said the hijackers were “substantially” supported by Saudi government, as well as charities and wealthy people in that country.
{mosads}”I think it is implausible to believe that 19 people, most of whom didn’t speak English, most of whom never been in the United States before, many of whom didn’t have a high school education — could’ve carried out such a complicated task without some support from within the United States,” Graham said.
The 28 pages were cut from a report on the 9/11 terror attacks in 2003 by the George W. Bush administration in the interest of national security. Porter Goss, who was Graham’s co-chairman during the inquiry, said the FBI refused to declassify the information at the time.
Goss, who later led the CIA, told “60 Minutes” he saw no reason then, or now, for the material to be locked away. Goss and Graham met with the FBI director to try to sway him, but had no luck.
Those interviewed by “60 Minutes” who have read the 28 pages describe the material as similar to a police report or grand jury file and say it lays out the possibility that the hijackers who settled in Southern California had official Saudi assistance.
Graham said he believes the U.S. classified the pages to protect its delicate relationship with its ally, Saudi Arabia.