Did 'realpolitik' dictate clearing
of Saudi in Boston explosions?
As Secretary of State John Kerry pointed out recently, the United States is working hand in glove with Saudi Arabia in contending with situations in Syria and Iran and in curbing activities of violent extremists. That helps explain why the Obama administration was eager to put Saudi Arabia on Homeland Security's  "trusted flyer" program.

Surely, the holding of a Saudi as a terror suspect in the Boston bombings would have derailed the State Department's diplomatic aspirations.

That at least is a plausible hypothesis as to why Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano played the artful dodger on Abdul Rahman Ali Al-Harbi's no-fly status prior to the bombings.

U.S. needs Saudi aid on Syria, Iran
http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/article/2013/03/20130304143647.html#axzz2RyZ7NbaY

Homeland Security was set to ease Saudi flights
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/20/decision-to-extend-trusted-traveler-program-to-saudi-scrutinized/

The uproar that would have greeted Alharbi being held for further questioning is demonstrated by this comment found via Google: "The Investigative Project on Terrorism revealed on March 20, 2013 that Obama’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS), recently so focused on helping illegal immigrants with amnesty legislation instead of defense from terrorism, planned to add Saudi Arabia to the “Trusted Traveler” program. This news rose the ire of lawmakers like Rep. Frank Wolf., R-Va., who pointed out, 15 of the 19 terrorists who hijacked airliners and killed nearly 3,000 people were from Saudi Arabia."

Saudi skeptical on U.S. oil boom
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/30/us-usa-saudi-naimi-idUSBRE93T0PW20130430

Napolitano's disinformation is an issue
I again note that I have no idea whether Alharbi was involved. But I do know that the document provided by Glenn Beck on Alharbi cannot be waved off, and that Napolitano was purveying clever propaganda intended to mislead the public concerning that document.