Treasury Rejects Senators' Saudi Demand (backs WH secrecy)

[Nambe]

WASHINGTON (Reuters)

The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday rejected a Senate committee's demand for a list of Saudi organizations and individuals that have been investigated as terrorism financiers, saying disclosing the names would hamper efforts to block terrorists' money supply.

Several members of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee at a hearing last week said there were concerns the Bush administration was shielding Saudi Arabia from sanctions, despite accusations its government has turned a blind eye to Saudi wealth underwriting al Qaeda and other terror organizations around the world.

They demanded a list of Saudi entities that Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control recommended be sanctioned as terrorism financiers, but were rejected in interagency reviews. ---

Treasury's denial comes as the administration also is refusing to disclose part of a report on the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks thought to center on Saudi Arabia on grounds it would compromise intelligence. ---

[lkinsale]

1. Breaking a pledge made last week

Graham's statement today on Bush and Saudi Arabia

Last week, a Bush administration official told a Senate panel that he would provide that body with a list of Saudi organizations and individuals the federal government has investigated for possibly financing terrorist organizations, including Al Qaeda. Unfortunately, the Bush administration is now falling back into its familiar pattern of hiding its secrets from the American people, and is breaking the pledge they made last week to now provide this information.

President Bush must begin asserting leadership and take responsibility for this matter. The Bush administration must release to the Senate Government Affairs Committee the list of Saudi suspects, or members of his administration will face severe consequences.

Breaking a pledge made testifying before a Senate Committee can bring severe consequences on this administration and it reinforces a feeling among many that this President doesn?t trust the American people with the truth. If that is the case, how can we trust George W. Bush with the White House?

First this administration ducks and weaves, points fingers and provides false facts in an attempt to divert the blame for the President telling the American people something that was blatantly false in order to send our young men and women into a war in Iraq. Next, President Bush censors a key section of a report on the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in order to shield a foreign government?s role in the tragedy that occurred that day. And now, the Bush administration is reneging on a pledge they made to provide the Senate and the American people a list of Saudi terrorist suspects.

This administration is not being truthful and upfront with the American people. Their pattern of deception and manipulation goes against the very principles that our democracy was founded upon. A real leader trusts his fellow countrymen with the truth, and doesn?t cloak himself in secrecy and deception.

Bob Graham, August 5, 2003

[finn]

2. what intellagants

that do not exist in this wh of ratshiteaters.