Congressmen Move to Declassify Key Part of 9/11 Report That They Say Could Indicate Hijackers Had Outside Help

Reps. Walter Jones (R-NC) and Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) introduced a House resolution earlier this month urging President Barack Obama to declassify a portion of a government report that they say could provide evidence the 9/11 hijackers had outside help.

“[T]he information contained in the redacted pages is critical to our foreign policy moving forward and should thus be available to the American public," Jones said in a press release. "If the 9/11 hijackers had outside help – particularly from one or more foreign governments – the press and the public have a right to know what our government has or has not done to bring justice to all of the perpetrators.”

[sharequote align="center"]“[T]he information contained in the redacted pages is critical to our foreign policy..."[/sharequote]

H.R. 428 — titled "Urging the president to release information regarding the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks upon the United States" — would release to the public 28 pages of the Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks of September 2001, originally classified by President George W. Bush.

In this Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013 photo, a US flag is placed at the north reflecting pool of the 9/11 Memorial at the site of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

“Twelve years after the horrific September 11 attacks, unanswered questions still remain," Lynch said in a press release. "These pages contain information that is vital to a full understanding of the events and circumstances surrounding this tragedy."

On Sunday, the New York Post published a report titled, "Inside the 9/11 Coverup." Their report mentions the efforts to declassify the 28 pages that they say "isn't just blacked out here and there" but are "completely blank."

According to The Post, Jones and Lynch were "absolutely shocked" at the level of foreign state involvement in the attacks after reading the redacted portions.

But, the pair of congressmen can't  reveal what they read without breaking federal law, The Post reported.

Leaked information, however, reportedly found "incontrovertible evidence" that Saudi Arabia, a supposed ally of the U.S., may have had a role in the attacks, according to The Post.

"The intelligence files cited in the report directly implicate the Saudi embassy in Washington and consulate in Los Angeles in the attacks, making 9/11 not just an act of terrorism, but an act of war," The Post added in their report.

The resolution to declassify the 28 portion of the report was referred to the House Committee on Intelligence on Dec. 2nd.

--

Follow Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) on Twitter

[related]