Report finds new links between Saudi agent and two of the Sept 11 hijackers; FBI had previously dismissed connections between the agent and terrorism

A key figure in the 9/11 report that was released yesterday is reportedly living in Saudi Arabia and should be brought back to the United States for further questioning in light of new evidence linking him to two of the hijackers and al-Qaeda, US Senator Charles Schumer said today. In a letter being sent to President Bush today, Schumer urged the Administration to use its influence with the Saudi Royal family to get them to turn the figure, Omar al-Bayoumi, to US authorities.

"The link between al-Bayoumi and the hijackers is the best evidence yet that part of official Saudi Arabia might have been involved in the attacks," Schumer said. "If the Saudi Royal family is as committed to fighting terrorism as it claims, it will turn this guy over to US officials immediately so that we can finally get to the bottom of his role in the attacks and his links to al Qaeda. While it's great that the Saudis are aggressively investigating who was responsible for the attacks in Ryadh, it's time for them to be just as aggressive in the 9/11 probe."

Although the FBI dismissed any link between al-Bayoumi and terrorism in January of 2000, the report released yesterday by the Joint Select Committee on Intelligence linked him to two of the 9/11 hijackers, the Saudi government, as well as al-Qaeda. According to the report, al-Bayoumi was a key associate of two of the 9/11 hijackers and provided them with financial assistance. It also said he may have been an agent of the Saudi government. At around the same time the FBI was dismissing links between al-Bayoumi and terrorism, he apparently had a "closed door" meeting at the Saudi Consulate in Los Angeles after which he proceeded directly to a restaurant to meet future 9/11 hijackers Khalid Almihdhar and Nawaf Alhazmi.

In addition, one of the FBI’s best sources in San Diego identified al-Bayoumi as an intelligence officer for Saudi Arabia or another foreign power while news reports say al-Bayoumi was employed by the Saudi Ministry of Defense and Aviation. Since September 11, the FBI has learned that al-Bayoumi also had connections to individuals associated with al-Qaeda.

Despite this evidence identifying him as a central figure in the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the hijackers, American law enforcement officials have reportedly still not questioned al-Bayoumi directly. With al-Bayoumi having returned to Saudi Arabia shortly before the September 11 attacks, it is unlikely that they will be able to do so unless the Saudis turn him over to US authorities.

"Given the revelations of the Joint Inquiry's report, it is obvious that there are many important questions about Saudi Arabia's connections to 9-11 that only al-Bayoumi can answer. I respectfully urge you to do all that is in your power to convince the Saudis to hand over al-Bayoumi to the FBI so that the unanswered questions surrounding 9–11 can be resolved," Schumer wrote to the President.

Yesterday, Schumer criticized the Bush Administration for keeping 28 pages of the report allegedly dealing with the Saudis classified. He said the White House has "a systematic strategy of coddling and cover-up when it comes to the Saudis... The Administration’s whole policy toward Saudi Arabia is backward and needs to make a 180-degree turn immediately. Declassifying the 28-page section would be a good first step."

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