The Justice Department says it will review previously withheld classified 9/11 information and related documents for possible release.
The DOJ’s move comes after hundreds of survivors, first responders, and victims’ family members recently sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking him not to attend any memorial events this year unless he declassifies government documents related to the attacks.
One of the reasons the families are seeking the documents is a belief that they show a link between the government of Saudi Arabia and the attacks, an issue that’s been at the center of proposed litigation for years.
A Justice Department spokesperson said on Monday that it will review some of the still-classified information. The department told a federal court in Manhattan Monday that the FBI had only recently closed an investigation related to certain 9/11 hijackers.
The move, welcomed by President Joe Biden in a White House statement, comes as family members of many of nearly 3,000 victims of the 2001 attacks who have demanded Biden act.
“As I promised during my campaign, my Administration is committed to ensuring the maximum degree of transparency under the law, and to adhering to the rigorous guidance issued during the Obama-Biden Administration on the invocation of the state secrets privilege,” Biden said in a statement. “In this vein, I welcome the Department of Justice’s filing today.”
“My heart and my prayers continue to be with the 9/11 families who are suffering, and my Administration will continue to engage respectfully with members of this community. I welcome their voices and insight as we chart a way forward.”
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