The Story Best of 2025: INVESTIGATION: The 9/11 suspect - part 3
Jan 1, 2026
Amardeep Bassey, an investigative journalist for The Sunday Times, dives deep into the controversial figure of Omar al-Bayoumi, accused of aiding the 9/11 hijackers. They discuss newly uncovered evidence and the FBI's complicated history with Operation Encore. Bassey reveals shocking details about a plane diagram missing from British interrogations and the implications of a recent court ruling allowing victims' families to proceed with their trillion-dollar lawsuit against Saudi Arabia. This fascinating investigation highlights the ongoing quest for truth.
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Operation Encore Challenged The Official Account
- Operation Encore was an FBI offshoot that re-examined Saudi links to the 9/11 hijackers after the 9/11 Commission report.
- San Diego agents believed Omar al-Bayoumi warranted further scrutiny despite the commission's conclusion of no credible evidence.
The Crate That Reopened The Case
- An evidence technician in Washington found a crate labeled Omar Al-Bayyumi full of folders and photographs over a decade after 9/11.
- She passed it to Operation Encore, reigniting the San Diego investigation into al-Bayoumi.
A Plane Diagram Was Withheld From British Officers
- Investigators found a yellow Topps notepad with plane diagrams, equations and waypoint-like numbers linking to eastern seaboard navigation.
- British interrogators never saw the diagram because the FBI retained the evidence under interagency protocol.