9/11 Families Demand Answers: Seeking Truth About Saudi Arabia — 25 Years Later

Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, families of the victims are still demanding answers about the role of Saudi Arabia. On the eve of the anniversary, a coalition of survivors and relatives gathered in Washington to renew their call for the release of long-classified documents they believe will expose the kingdom's complicity in the worst terror attack on American soil.

WASHINGTON – Twenty-five years have passed since the twin towers fell, since the Pentagon burned, since nearly 3,000 innocent lives were stolen in a single morning. But for the families of the victims, the passage of time has not dulled the pain—or the questions.

On Thursday, a coalition of 9/11 families, first responders, and advocacy groups gathered outside the Capitol to demand the full release of classified documents related to Saudi Arabia's role in the attacks. Their message was simple: after a quarter-century, the truth is still being hidden.

"We are not here to relitigate the past," said Giovanni Galante, whose wife Grace was killed in the North Tower. "We are here to demand the truth. We deserve to know who helped the hijackers. We deserve to know who funded them. We deserve to know why our government has spent 25 years protecting a so-called ally instead of the families of the fallen."

The Saudi Connection

The 9/11 Commission Report, released in 2004, found no evidence that Saudi Arabia's government or senior officials were complicit in the attacks. But the report also noted that Saudi nationals made up 15 of the 19 hijackers, and that the kingdom had been a source of financing for extremist groups.

For years, families have pointed to a 2012 FBI investigation, code-named Operation Encore, that examined possible links between the hijackers and Saudi nationals in the United States. That investigation was shut down in 2015, and its findings remain largely classified.

In 2021, President Joe Biden ordered the release of some documents, but families say they were heavily redacted and incomplete. In 2024, a federal judge ordered the release of more documents, but the government has continued to withhold key materials, citing national security concerns.

"The American people have a right to know," said Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), who has championed the families' cause. "The families have waited long enough. It is time for the full truth to come out."

A Renewed Push

The families' renewed push comes amid a broader political fight over the legacy of 9/11. Former President Barack Obama recently praised the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran as a model of diplomacy. President Donald Trump has blamed the Biden administration for the current war with Iran, which he says is a consequence of weakness. And in New York, a bitter dispute is raging over whether Mayor Zohran Mamdani should attend the anniversary ceremony at Ground Zero.

But for the families, the focus remains on Saudi Arabia. They want the full release of the FBI's Operation Encore files, the declassification of all Saudi-related documents, and a formal congressional investigation into the kingdom's role.

"Saudi Arabia has never been held accountable," said Terry Strada, national chair of 9/11 Families United. "They funded the hijackers. They radicalized them. They helped them get into this country. And yet, for 25 years, our government has treated them as a friend. That is a betrayal."

The Saudi Government's Response

The Saudi government has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks. In a statement issued this week, the Saudi embassy in Washington said: "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has consistently condemned the 9/11 attacks and has cooperated fully with U.S. authorities in the investigation. Any suggestion of Saudi complicity is false and defamatory."

But families say the kingdom's protestations ring hollow. "They have never apologized," said Galante. "They have never acknowledged their role. They have never paid a price. That is not justice."

What's Next

The families plan to deliver a petition with more than 200,000 signatures to Congress and the White House on Friday, the 25th anniversary. They are also pushing for a new congressional hearing on Saudi Arabia's role in the attacks.

"Twenty-five years is too long to wait for the truth," said Strada. "We are not going away. We will keep fighting until we get answers."

For the families of 9/11, the passage of time has not brought closure. It has only deepened their resolve. And as they gather at Ground Zero on Friday to read the names of the fallen, they will do so with the same question they have asked for 25 years: Who was responsible? And why has the truth been kept from us?