Terrorism9/11 terror network in U.S. was never fully dismantled, still a threat

A joint inquiry co-chaired by a former senator has warned that the American network that supported and trained the 9/11 hijackers was never fully dismantled, and that it remains a threat, pending the release of a secret report from the era.

Former Senator Bob Graham (D-Florida) points out that a 28-page section from the Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Community Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001 was classified under President George W. Bush and remains so under President Barack Obama. Graham told the New York Post that the chapter is “censored from word one to the last word.” He goes on to allege that if released, the section would “identify Saudi officials, agents and other contact men for the hijackers.”

Graham points out that “Saudi support cells were set up in a number of U.S. cities, coast to coast — including Paterson, N.J., Delray Beach, Fla., Sarasota, Fla., Falls Church, Va., Alexandria, Va., Los Angeles, San Diego and Phoenix — but were never properly investigated.”

“That’s another reason why releasing these 28 pages is so important,” he told the paper, “If this was in existence in 2000 and 2001, what is it in 2014?”

Additionally, through the efforts of the families of 9/11 victims and a bipartisan resolution sponsored by House lawmakers, a new effort is underway to have the document released. Representatives Walter Jones (R-North Carolina), Stephen Lynch (D-Massachussetss), and Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) held a press conference with families of the victims to further pressure the White House.

As the Post reports, Terry Strada, the widow of the 2001 attacks, said at the conference “All or most of [the funding] was coming from Saudi Arabia, and that needs to come out. The truth needs to be told. It should scare the hell out of all Americans that they were living here, amongst us for two years, doing this before they carried out 9/11.”

“All of the intelligence agencies failed to follow up on top Saudis. They all failed,” Graham finally warned. “Those weren’t three or four independent decisions to act incompetently. They were directed to act incompetently. They were operating under orders from the White House.”