I never heard anybody deny the flight took place, the only think I ever heard denied was the co-accusation that they left without the approval of the FBI and at the insistance of "someone" in the administration.
The deeper I dig, the more I find.
"It's not in our logs ... it didn't occur,'' said Chris White, spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration's regional office in Atlanta." (Saudi Rescue...The Phantom Flight From Florida)
That's the question right now. Who authorized the Saudis and the Bin Ladens to leave the US before the investigation had even really begun?
There's more:
"A Special Situation Grossi said Tampa police intelligence detectives called him about 11 a.m. Sept. 13, needing help with a special situation: They had been watching three young Saudi men - at least one a student at the University of Tampa - at their south Tampa apartment, and the trio was scared and wanted to go home."
"Jim Harf, director of UT's international programs, confirmed one of them is the son of Prince Sultan, the defense minister."
"University spokesman Grant Donaldson refused to provide details. Perez said he understood the men arrived in Tampa three weeks earlier to receive tutoring in English."
"The Tampa detectives guarding the men were ordered to stay in Tampa by Police Chief Bennie Holder, so Grossi was offered the job of escorting the trio to Lexington, Ky., where the prince's relatives were buying race horses."
"Lexington police Lt. Mark Barnard confirmed a Saudi relative had asked for help in getting protection for the men in Tampa. Two off-duty detectives were assigned. Tampa police records list Sultan bin Fahad as the one requesting the security detail."
"But Tampa's official assistance ended at Raytheon's airport terminal."
"There was a perceived threat, and the family of the person wanted him home right away,'' said Tampa police Sgt. John Solomon. ``The job lasted about five hours. It was handled very quickly."
"`Out Of A Tom Clancy Movie' Meanwhile, Grossi had put Perez on alert and went home to wait. Both men provide security for the National Football League at Raymond James Stadium. Grossi, who retired from the Tampa Police Department in August, has worked in internal affairs and homicide. Perez, who has his own investigative company in St. Petersburg, worked for the FBI for more than 29 years and has experience in counterterrorism and as a bomb technician.
"At 2:30 p.m., Grossi got the call from the police department.
"They said it was happening,'' Grossi said. ``This was out of a Tom Clancy movie.''
"Grossi said he was told the clearance came from the White House after the prince's family pulled a favor from former President Bush. Prince Sultan, the Saudi defense minister, was part of the coalition that fought the Persian Gulf War in 1991.