US refuses to declassify information about foreign involvement in 9/11 attacks
The Obama administration refuses to declassify the information about the involvement of certain foreign governments in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, despite the calls and efforts of the Congress members, congressman Stephen Lynch told RIA Novosti on Tuesday.
"We've had dialog. And the families have had dialog. But it hasn't been productive up until now," Lynch said.
H. Res. 428 is a resolution introduced to make public 28 pages of the Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks of September 2001. The pages, initially classified by President George W. Bush, have remained classified under President Barack Obama. The resolution states that declassification of the pages is necessary to provide the American public with the full truth surrounding the tragic events of September 11, 2001, particularly relating to the involvement of foreign governments.
"I think it can inform our decisions around anti-terrorism policy. It can be helpful," Lynch said. "It might send a message to those who might finance terrorism, that it will come back to bite them."
"It's the truth. Just get it out there. More information, more transparency will be helpful," the congressman added.
Lynch is hopeful that eventually these 28 pages will be declassified.
"I'm not so sure how quickly, but I'm hopeful that the more people understand, what's in the 28 pages, the more legislators will sign on. It' a process," he said.
The congressman noted that so far only a small number of members, about dozen, have read the report. But they are doing their best to have more congressmen do that.
"Our effort is to have other members of Congress read the 28 pages and then sign on to legislation to have it declassified," Lynch said. "That's the effort here. So we need 218 votes in the House, 60 votes in the Senate. So the process now is to get those members of the legislature to sign on."