Description: By Dan Christensen, FloridaBulldog.org - A recent government court filing is raising questions about then-FBI Director Robert Mueller and his involvement in the public release of deceptive official statements about a secret FBI investigation of Sarasota Saudis with apparent ties to the 9/11 hijackers.
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9/11, A1 Top Story, FBI /
January 18, 2018 /
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# Robert Mueller involved in FBI release of deceptive statements about Sarasota 9/11 probe

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By Dan Christensen, FloridaBulldog.org
Robert Mueller
A recent government court filing is raising questions about then-FBI Director Robert Mueller’s involvement in the public release of deceptive official statements about a secret FBI investigation of Sarasota Saudis with apparent ties to the 9/11 hijackers.
The misleading statements, issued by FBI officials in Miami and Tampa, were made within days of a September 2011 Florida Bulldog story disclosing the existence of the investigation and reporting that Congress had been kept in the dark about it.
The statements sought to discredit the story, asserting that agents had found no connection between the Sarasota Saudi family and the 9/11 plot. In fact, the FBI’s own files contained at least three reports that said the opposite: that agents found “many connections” between the family and “individuals associated with the terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001.” The FBI released those reports later amid continuing Freedom of Information (FOI) litigation brought by Florida Bulldog.
Mueller, now the special counsel overseeing the investigation into alleged Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, is referenced in a document index created in late November by the FBI at the direction of U.S. District Judge William J. Zloch of Fort Lauderdale. The index was compiled after Zloch asked the FBI to explain where in its complex file system it had located about 80 pages released earlier in the six-year-old FOI case.
The FBI has produced an additional 80,000 classified pages for Zloch’s private inspection. The judge recently indicated he’d completed his three-year review of those records, but has given no hint as to what they say.

### Flurry of 9/11 related activities

News of Mueller’s involvement comes amid a flurry of 9/11 related activities, and not just in Fort Lauderdale. Today, January 18, lawyers for thousands of survivors, relatives and other victims of the 2001 al Qaeda terrorist attacks will appear in federal court in New York City to argue against Saudi Arabia’s renewed motion to dismiss their long-running lawsuit against it, and other matters.
Last week in Atlanta, attorneys for Florida Bulldog replied in a federal appeals court to government arguments that seek to block the further release of records of the 9/11 Review Commission. The filing also opposed the FBI’s effort to overturn rulings by Miami U.S. District Judge Cecilia Altonaga that would require the FBI to restore the names of agents and others whose names were redacted from documents released earlier on privacy grounds.
Abdulaziz al-Hijji, right, in Sarasota prior to 9/11 and leaving his London office in 2012 Photo in London by Warren Allot for The Telegraph
In Washington last month, three members of Congress, two Republicans and one Democrat, introduced House Resolution 663 that calls for the declassification of all 9/11 documents “to the greatest extent possible” to allow for a “full public understanding” of what happened.
The index reference to former FBI Director Mueller is contained in an item about a FBI white paper that was written one week after the Bulldog and the Miami Herald simultaneously published the Bulldog’s story about the abrupt departure of Saudis Abdulaziz and Anoud al-Hijji from their Sarasota area home about two weeks before 9/11. The couple left behind their cars, clothes, furniture, jewelry and other personal items.
“It was created to brief the FBI Director concerning the FBI’s investigation of 4224 Escondito Circle,” the al-Hijjis’ address, the index says.
The white paper, titled “Alleged Sarasota Link to 9/11 Hijackers,” is on stationery of the Counterterrorism Division Guantanamo Detainee Prosecution Section 9:11 Prosecution Unit. It was first released in March 2013 and erroneously begins: “The FBI found no evidence that connected the family members mentioned in the Miami Herald article to any of the 9/11 hijackers, nor was any connection found between the family and the 9/11 plot.”

### Same day announcement

The same day the white paper was prepared for Director Mueller, Sept. 15, 2011, FBI Tampa Public Affairs Officer David Couvertier sent a similarly worded email to the Tampa Bay Times on behalf of Special Agent in Charge Steven E. Ibison: “At no time did the FBI develop evidence that connected the family members to any of the 9/11 hijackers as suggested in the article, and there was no connection found to the 9/11 plot.”
Florida Bulldog’s Miami attorney, Thomas Julin, filed court papers last week asserting a “red flag” has been raised in the case by disclosure of the FBI director’s involvement.
“That Mueller received a briefing about the Sarasota investigation suggests that the issues the Bulldog raised required the attention of the FBI’s highest authority,” Julin wrote.
The circumstances further suggest that Director Mueller approved the deception in which the FBI engaged.
Mueller did not respond to questions emailed to his office on Tuesday.
The two-page white paper, not attributed to any individual, is likewise interesting for what it did not tell Mueller. For example, it made no mention of the 2002 FBI reports stating that “many connections” were found between the al-Hijjis and the 9/11 hijackers. Nor did it discuss whether the FBI withheld the results of its Sarasota investigation from Congress, as former Florida Sen. Bob Graham, co-chair of Congress’ Joint Inquiry into 9/11, has said under oath.
The provenance of the “Guantanamo” white paper is also curious. While the source of the document is undoubtedly the FBI, a second altered version was released to Florida Bulldog last year amid another FOI lawsuit seeking records of the 9/11 Review Commission that is now on appeal by both sides. The reference in the heading that indicates the document was generated by Guantanamo’s 9/11 prosecution unit is missing. No explanation for the differences was given.
The white paper appears to have been written in response to a Sept. 14, 2011 request for information about the Sarasota investigation made by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT, then chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, to Mueller and then-Attorney General Eric Holder.
More than two months later, on Nov. 22, Assistant Attorney General Ronald Weich sent Leahy a response that perpetuated the FBI’s deception about its Sarasota findings:
“Contrary to suggestions in media reports, the FBI did not develop any evidence that connected the family members to any of the 9/11 hijackers or to the 9/11 plot.”
Related posts:

1. FBI says again it found no ties between Sarasota Saudis and 9/11 hijackers; won’t release details
2. Bob Graham: FBI hindered Congress’s 9/11 inquiry, withheld reports about Sarasota Saudis
3. Graham: FBI’s public statements are in conflict with still secret records of Sarasota 9/11 probe
4. U.S. judge asked to okay deposition of FBI agent in Sarasota Saudi probe
5. FBI slams own 9/11 document; New report discounts Sarasota Saudis ties to hijackers

#### Tags

4224 Escondito Circle / 9/11 Review Commission / Abdulaziz al-Hijji / al-Qaeda / Bob Graham / Cecilia Altonaga / David Couvertier / Freedom of Information / Patrick Leahy / Robert Mueller / Ronald Weich / Sarasota Saudis / Saudi Arabia / Steven E. Ibison / Thomas Julin / William J. Zloch

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#### Latest comments

- ###### James Dorman / January 19, 2018

  “After the pair cleared Immigration and Customs at Los Angeles International Airport, we do not know where they went.” – 9/11 Commission lie to Public
  9-11 Commission interview with FBI Agent:
  “the two Saudis stayed at the LAX Hilton when they first arrived, and that they were met at the airport by someone from the Saudi Consulate in LA. Benomrane said that when they left the Hilton, they moved into an apartment.”
  “…the apartment complex at 3636 S Sepulveda”
  “…subpoenas were served on the complex, and that it became clear that the KFM was renting rooms at the complex.” – FBI Agent to 9-11 Commission
  Mueller stopped Investigation into Saudi role of 9-11…
  “-the 265C case was closed”
  “-they took al-Qa’ida away from his squad.”
  “They took away the al-Thumairy…”
  “and other investigations from them.”
  “-this occurs in the spring/summer 2002.”
  “-Never had any interaction with the PENTTBOM team on this case”
  “-They were aware of Benomrane investigation, but maybe he’s just making an assumption.”
  “-PENTTBOM never did ask him to do anything on the investigation.”
  “-The 302 and ECs from the case were not going to the PENTTBOM file.”
  All classified until 2014!
  https://www.scribd.com/doc/243329031/Footnote-Box-1-Redwell-7-FBI-MFR-09292003-Fdr-MFR-Benomrane?irgwc=1&content=27795&campaign=VigLink&ad_group=15012&keyword=ft500noi&source=impactradius&medium=affiliate

  ###### /

- ###### bill warner / January 19, 2018

  SARASOTA SAUDI’s NO CONNECTION TO 9/11 HIJACKERS LOL: Individuals tied to Huffman Flight School in Venice Fl and 9/11 Hijackers Mohamed Atta and Marwan al-Shehhi linked by FBI to 4224 Escondito Circle Sarasota as family members appear to be Abdulaziz A. Al-Hijji, DOB 12/28/1973, and his brother in-law Adel Ghazzawi, dob 11/19/1970, son of Esam Ghazzawi. In the year 2000, Sarasota Saudi’s Abdulaziz A. Al-Hijji then age 27 and his brother in law Adel Ghazzawi then age 30, were contemporaries of 9/11 Hijack Pilots Ziad Jarrah then age 25, Marwan Al-Shehhi then age 22, and Mohamed Atta then age 32 who all appear to have taken Flight Training in Venice Fl at the same time from mid June 2000 up to end of August 2000 when Atta and al-Shehhi moved over to Jones Aviation at the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport for 2 months, small world eh? When papa Ghazzawi left the U.S., Adel Ghazzawi apparently took over the family’s affairs in Sarasota. It was Adel Ghazzawi, then 30 and an American citizen, who tried to get a Prestancia lien lifted so the house could be sold. The lien came after the series of brushes with Prestancia’s community association. Adel has a vast wealth of business, family and personal relationships within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” his biography reads

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- ###### Lk / January 19, 2018

  Put that corrupt no good rotten piece of crap in prison. He is so no good

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- ###### Adam / January 20, 2018

  Even if they found no tie to the hijackers and the agent was mistaken, the documents also reference a tie in to the flight school/airport where the Hamburg cell of hijackers pilots were training because the AlHijjis were said to be flying there.
  Al-Hijji acknowledges friendship with Wissam Hammond who threatened to behead a federal agent and who has appeared in internet reports about a thwarted path train bombing plot in NYC as he might be related to a plotter.
  Hammond also claims a connection to Shukrijumah, who I think is still a wanted fugitive, and is an al Qaeda commander.
  That therefore connects the airport in Venice fl to Al Qaeda in a different, apparently unexplored way.

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- ###### bill warner / January 22, 2018

  Sarasota Saudi Al-Hijji had a ‘House of Saud’ Royal and Al-Qaeda Terrorist Mohamed Atta’s 9/11 Hijack Pilot Cadre all over to 4224 Escondito Circle. Ya’all know, we are all being played as suckers by the FBI and the DOJ. Abdulaziz Al-Hijji entertained al-Qaeda terrorist Mohamed Atta and his 9/11 hijack pals and also the son of the ‘House Of Saud’ Defense Minister, Prince Salman bin Fahad bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, (using the name ‘Fahad Al Zeid’), age 24 when he visited 4224 Escondito Circle. Phone records with link analysis and license plate readers at the Prestancia guard gate prove such, but FBI says no link in their 2002 Sarasota Saudi investigation, Bull Crap, I was there and directly involved during the 2002 Sarasota Police/ICE/FBI probe into a support of terrorism network. Sarasota Saudi Esam Ghazzawi and his son in law Abdulaziz Al-Hijji link directly to Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud the Saudi defense Minister (who died in 2001) and his son Prince ‘Salman’ bin Fahad bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud who used the name Fahad Al Zeid while living in Sarasota and then Tampa Fl at the University of Tampa, he fled the Tampa on September 13, 2001. It appears that Esam Ghazzawi named one of his sons ‘Salman Ghazzawi’ in 1983 after Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud’s son, ‘Salman’ bin Fahad bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud who was attending Univ of Tampa in 2000 to 2001. Essam Ghazzawi and his wife and children and ‘associates’ would have attended the daughter Anon’s wedding to Abdulaziz Al-Hijji in 1995 at the Islamic Center of Sarasota and Bradenton. The Ghazzawi’s and the Al-Hijji’s continued to patronize the Islamic Center of Sarasota and Bradenton from 1995 to August of 2001. The Islamic Center of Sarasota and Bradenton went from a single story wooden frame house to a new multi million dollar mega Mosque that re-opened for business on or about September 11th, 2011.

  ###### /

- ###### Pingback: As FBI Director Mueller Helped Cover Up Fla. 9/11 Probe, Court Docs Show - Judicial Watch / January 23, 2018

  ###### /

- ###### Pingback: JUDICIAL WATCH: ‘FBI Director Mueller Helped Cover Up Fla. 9/11 Probe’ / January 23, 2018

  ###### /

- ###### Pingback: As FBI Director Mueller Helped Cover Up Fla. 9/11 Probe, Court Docs Show – Judicial Watch | CENSORED.TODAY / January 23, 2018

  ###### /

- ###### Pingback: Robert Mueller involved in FBI release of deceptive statements about Sarasota 9/11 probe - robotNews / January 23, 2018

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- ###### Pingback: Robert Mueller involved in FBI release of deceptive statements about Sarasota 9/11 probe – World is Crazy / January 23, 2018

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- ###### Pingback: As FBI Director Mueller Helped Cover Up Fla. 9/11 Probe, Court Docs Show – Judicial Watch | CENSORED.TODAY | #HACKMYSTACK / January 23, 2018

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- ###### Pingback: The Jackson Press – As FBI Director Mueller Helped Cover Up Fla. 9/11 Probe, Court Docs Show / January 24, 2018

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- ###### Pingback: Court Documents: As FBI Director Mueller Helped Cover Up Florida 9/11 Probe – Dr. Rich Swier / January 24, 2018

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- ###### Pingback: As FBI Director Mueller Helped Cover Up Fla. 9/11 Probe, Court Docs Show / January 25, 2018

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- ###### Pingback: FBI Director Mueller Helped Cover Up Fla. 9/11 Probe, Court Docs Show | ACGR's "News with Attitude" / January 25, 2018

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- ###### Pingback: Robert Mueller Is Finished After New Details Emerge Connecting Him With Saudi Arabia And 9/11 / January 25, 2018

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- ###### Pingback: FBI Coverup: Court Documents show Director Mueller Helped Cover Up 9/11 Probe – CitizensOutpost / January 25, 2018

  ###### /

- ###### michael riker / January 25, 2018

  How can i. Get a copy

  ###### /

- ###### Dan Christensen (Author) / January 25, 2018

  Document is too big to post on our site. You can see it in the federal CM-ECF filing system for Southern District of South Florida. Plaintiff is Broward Bulldog Inc., our corporate name. You have to sign up for access. Costs are minimal. http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/?page_id=21

  ###### /

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