Riyadh welcomes release of US classified 9/11 documents: Embassy

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - Saudi Arabia rejects any role in the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks and welcomes the release of classified documents regarding the gruesome events, the Kingdom's Embassy in the US said Wednesday.

In a statement on Twitter, the mission said Riyadh has consistently asked for the release of documents related to the US probe into the 9/11 attacks since they took place 20 years ago.

Citing past investigations, the statement said no evidence indicated that the Saudi government had any knowledge about the attacks or any involvement in its planning or execution.

"Any allegation that Saudi Arabia is complicit in the September 11 attacks is categorically false," it said.

US President Joe Biden directed the Justice Department last week to carry out a declassification review of sensitive documents from the FBI's 9/11 investigations that may incriminate senior Saudi officials.

The move came as the president faces pressure from nearly 1,800 victims' relatives to not attend events this month marking the 20th anniversary of the attacks if the documents are not released.

The kingdom said it is an essential counterterrorism partner to the US, citing that the two nations cooperated against terror groups such as Daesh/ISIS and Al-Qaeda.

The diplomatic mission said Saudi Arabia voices support for the full declassification of the documents and materials, hoping that "a full release of these documents will end the baseless allegations against the Kingdom once and for all."