9/11 Families Demand Accountability From Saudi Arabia at 25th Anniversary

Family members of victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks used the 25th anniversary memorial ceremony at Ground Zero on Friday to publicly accuse past and present U.S. administrations of shielding Saudi Arabia and to demand the release of classified documents. Terry Strada, the widow of 9/11 victim Tom Strada and national chair of 9/11 Families United, delivered a pointed address during the ceremonial reading of names. "How can it be 25 years and still we have no justice for the role that Saudi Arabia played in your murder?" she asked, addressing her late husband. Strada accused the Saudi government of fomenting "a rancid culture of anti-American terrorism" and sending agents to support the hijackers. She criticized multiple administrations for protecting Saudi interests over the families' pursuit of accountability. "For 25 years, administration after administration, including leaders in front of us here today, chose to protect the Saudis instead of standing with the 9/11 families," Strada said, referencing former Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden, who were in attendance. "They withheld evidence. They vetoed JASTA.