Almost 25 years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, previously unknown documents obtained by the BBC through a lawsuit show how a person suspected early on in the FBI investigation, Omar al-Bayoumi, had close ties to officials of the Saudi government and trained alongside al-Qaida leader Anwar al-Awlaki. The materials, consisting of videos of paramilitary paintball sessions and a hand-drawn airplane calculation chart, were released as part of a billion-dollar suit filed by families of 9/11 victims against Saudi Arabia.
Birmingham arrest : Al-Bayoumi was detained by Metropolitan Police in Birmingham on September 21, 2001, when his possession yielded thousands of documents and 80 videotapes. Missing evidence : Copies of the document found their way to London-based federal officers; however, this evidence was unknown to British interrogators and was withheld from the 9/11 Commission and San Diego investigators.
Jihadist training : Later investigation by FBI officers showed that participants utilized these combat simulators as a training platform for militants. Interviewed by the BBC, ex-law enforcement officers pointed out the existence of serious communication issues and bureaucratic delays impeding investigation. Denied interviews : In attempts by federal officers to conduct interviews of Saudi officials associated with al-Bayoumi, the interview requests were formally denied.
