Staten Island Rep. Nicole Malliotakis is among five Republican lawmakers pressing the Biden administration to publicly release FBI and CIA documents that they say may disclose the Saudi government’s possible involvement in the 9/11 terror attacks.
Malliotakis, and four other Republican members of Congress, sent a letter Wednesday on behalf of 9/11 victims’ families to Attorney General Merrick Garland calling on the Department of Justice to declassify and publish the reports.
The documents have been sought by families of 9/11 victims who are suing Saudi Arabia.
They were scheduled to be released during the Trump administration, but then-Attorney General William Barr twice blocked the process, the lawmakers said.
“Prior to their scheduled release, credible reports indicated that these classified documents do, in fact, detail the role that senior level Saudi officials and clandestine operatives played in directly supporting the 9/11 attacks,” the lawmakers wrote.
Malliotakis added in a statement: “The Biden Administration must make good on its commitment to absolute transparency at all levels of government by releasing these documents so justice can be served for our 9/11 first responders and families.”
The suit filed by 9/11 victims’ families allege the Arab country knowingly facilitated the devastating terror attacks.
Saudi Arabia has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks, though 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis.