A quarter-century-old video has recently come to light, revealing footage of Washington DC landmarks captured by Omar al-Bayoumi, identified by the FBI as a Saudi intelligence officer, approximately two years prior to the September 11, 2001 attacks. This previously undisclosed evidence has emerged as part of an ongoing civil lawsuit against the Saudi Arabian government, initiated by families of 9/11 victims.
The hour-long recording, dating back to the summer of 1999, was initially confiscated by Scotland Yard during al-Bayoumi's arrest in Birmingham, England, on September 21, 2001. After a week of questioning, he was released without charges. The video showcases various locations across the U.S. capital, including the Capitol Building and the Washington Monument, accompanied by al-Bayoumi's Arabic commentary.
In the footage, al-Bayoumi makes several concerning statements. Near the Capitol, he remarks, "They say that our kids are demons. However, these are the demons of the White House." He also references "the plan" and mentions reporting his findings, raising suspicions about the nature of his visit.
The FBI has since labeled al-Bayoumi as a Saudi intelligence agent, a claim he denies. A declassified FBI report from 2022 suggested a "50/50 chance" that al-Bayoumi had prior knowledge of the 9/11 attacks. This assessment is partly based on his connections to two of the hijackers, Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar, who were involved in the Pentagon attack that resulted in 189 fatalities.
"A trove of evidence seized by the Metropolitan Police.... enables your honour, the public and the 9/11 families to perceive for themselves the mechanism by which Saudi Arabia provided support to the 9/11 hijackers. Bayoumi's videotape bore all the characteristics, the hallmarks of al-Qaeda casing a terrorist target."
The 9/11 attacks, orchestrated by al-Qaeda, claimed 2,977 lives and caused over $123 billion in damages. The ongoing litigation against Saudi Arabia has been a complex and prolonged process, with the release of classified documents remaining a contentious issue.
It's worth noting that the U.S. government's official 9/11 Commission Report, published in 2004, did not uncover evidence implicating the Saudi government or senior officials in funding al-Qaeda. However, the discovery of this video has reignited debates about potential foreign involvement in the attacks.
As of September 6, 2024, Saudi authorities continue to deny any complicity in the 9/11 attacks and refute claims that al-Bayoumi was their agent. The case remains under scrutiny, with the newly surfaced video adding another layer to the complex narrative surrounding one of the most devastating terrorist attacks in U.S. history.