PRESS RELEASE
9/11 Survivors Demand Theresa May Release Report on Saudi Financing of U.K. Extremists
July 19, 2017 (EIRNS)—A group of 15 survivors and family members of victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., has written a letter to British Prime Minister Theresa May strongly urging her to make public a United Kingdom Home Office report on Saudi financing of Islamist extremism in the United Kingdom.
The report was originally commissioned by former Prime Minister David Cameron, as part of a deal he struck with Parliament, and was completed six months ago. But last week, the Independent reported today, Home Secretary Amber Rudd announced that the report cannot be made public "because of the volume of personal information it contains, and for national security reasons." This has provoked widespread anger, among the political opposition, but more broadly, in light of recent terrorist attacks in London.
Among the 15 signers of the letter is Sharon Premoli, national co-chair of the 9/11 Families United for Justice Against Terrorism, which was instrumental in forcing the Obama administration to release of the 28 pages of the Congressional Joint Inquiry into the 9/11 Attacks. Both the British Labour Party and the Green Party have expressed support for the survivors’ letter, charging that May is suppressing the report because of her government’s relationship with the Saudis.
The letter warns that the U.K.
"now has the unique historic opportunity to stop the killing spree of Wahhabism-inspired terrorists by releasing the U.K. government’s report on terrorism financing in the U.K. which, according to media reports, places Saudi Arabia at its center of culpability. The longer Saudi Arabia’s complicity is hidden from sunlight, the longer terrorism will continue. They must be stopped; but who will stop them? We submit that you are uniquely situated to shine the cleansing light of public consciousness. We respectfully urge you to release the report now, finished or unfinished. We ask you to consider all the victims of state-sponsored, Saudi-financed terrorism, their families and their survivors in the U.K. and all over the world."
Premoli told the Independent, that for 16 years, she and others have "pursued the money trail... We are always led to the source: Saudi Arabia." She also pointed out that United States and United Kingdom weapons sold to Riyadh, are now being used in the war against Yemen "to devastating effect."
