The House of Representatives passed a bill on Friday on a voice vote that would allow the family members of those who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, to sue the nation of Saudi Arabia in US courts.
Advertisement
A similar text was approved in May by the Senate and it will be sent now to President Barack Obama’s office, but some of his advisors threatened to possible presidential veto, with the argument that a statute of that kind would complicate the bilateral relations with Riyadh, one of Washington’s main allies in the Middle East. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were Saudi nationals.
A key US ally, Saudi Arabia has strongly objected to the bill and has denied any role in the terror attacks though 15 of the 19 hijackers that carried them out were of Saudi descent.
The risk is that, as far back as April, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir was threatening to deliberately collapse the United States treasury market in retaliation for the bill by selling some $750 billion in Saudi-held assets on the market. “An we as a people should be more concerned about these victims of terror than about diplomatic niceties”, Poe said.
It remains to be seen if the Saudi government follows through with threats to the US Treasury market.
“That’s for a jury of Americans to decide”, Poe said.
Separately, a bipartisan group of USA senators announced on Thursday they will attempt to block the Obama administration’s proposed sale of more than $1bn (£754m) in weapons to Saudi Arabia. Chuck Schuler, D-New York, a sponsor of the Senate bill.
The bill itself is a bipartisan effort, spearheaded by Senators Chuck Schumer of NY, the number two ranking Democrat in the upper chamber, and John Cornyn of Texas, the third ranking Republican.
There’s no proof any Saudi Arabian official was involved in the attacks, but there’s always been speculation that the attackers were supported by the government.
“I have sympathy with the notion of hitting those countries which actively support terrorism”, Lellouche said Friday.
Terry Strada, national head of 9/11 Families United For Justice Against Terrorism, dismissed fears the US could be the target of lawsuits.
The vote came after House members from both parties briefly adjourned to commemorate the anniversary of the attacks.
The vote came after House members sang “God Bless America” on Capitol Hill to commemorate 9/11, just as they had immediately after the attacks on NY in 2001.
The Senate passed the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) in May despite opposition from Saudi Arabia, a key ally to the United States. But Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir denied in May that the kingdom made any threats over the bill.
“In fact what they (Congress) are doing is stripping the principle of sovereign immunities, which would turn the world for worldwide law into the law of the jungle”, Al-Jubeir said.
But two months ago Congress released 28 declassified pages from a report that reignited concerns a few of the attackers had links to Saudi government officials.
The potential showdown between Congress and Obama comes days before the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks, with the president having 10 days to either sign or reject the legislation. “I hope for the sake of the families who have suffered such losses and fought so hard, the Administration will not veto this bill”.
Advertisement
The bill addresses a 1976 law that gives foreign nations broad immunity from American lawsuits by amending it to allow for nations to be sued in federal courts if they are found to have played any role in terrorist attacks that killed Americans on home soil.
