Joe Biden is coming under fire from some of the families of victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks, who are calling out the president for not declassifying key evidence about the attacks.
As NBC News noted, Biden had pledged to declassify evidence that showed a link between the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the attacks. With Biden not yet following through on the pledge, some are telling him to stay away from any memorial events on what will be the 20th anniversary of the attacks.
Biden Has Not Released Information
As the NBC News report noted, a group representing some victims of the terrorist attacks are calling on Biden to follow through on his pledge. The group is seeking documents said to support the connection between Saudi Arabia, which comes from an investigation completed five years ago. The original 9/11 Commission outlined some links and referred to Saudi Arabia as a "problematic ally," the report noted, but did not find any direct evidence that would have implicated Saudi Arabian leaders in the attacks.
President Under Fire
A group representing families of 9/11 victims released a statement calling for transparency and asking Biden to release some specific information.
“Since the conclusion of the 9/11 Commission in 2004 much investigative evidence has been uncovered implicating Saudi government officials in supporting the attacks,” read the statement published by NBC News. “Through multiple administrations, the Department of Justice and the FBI have actively sought to keep this information secret and prevent the American people from learning the full truth about the 9/11 attacks.”
Families Of Victims Ask For Closure
Brett Eagleson, whose father was killed in the attack on the World Trade Center, said there is no reason for Biden to keep the information under wraps.
"These documents involve a terrorist attack that occurred 20 years ago, and there is no justification to withhold them," he said in a statement, via CNN.
"The 9/11 families deserve justice and closure. Matter of fact, all Americans deserve to know the truth behind what the Saudi Arabanian government’s role was in 9/11. And there’s significant evidence. The FBI has it. The DOJ doesn’t deny that it exists."
Biden Could Face Blowback
The potential showdown could pose political problems for Biden, who otherwise has enjoyed strong approval numbers. Biden has been a fixture at memorial events, especially those honoring fallen soldiers and American victims. Continued opposition to his attendance this year could pose a major political risk, and some of the president’s opponents have already seized on the situation.
The White House has tried to diffuse the situation, with press secretary Jen Psaki saying on Friday that Biden remained committed to his pledge to release the 9/11 records, though it was not clear exactly when that would happen.
