In a landmark decision, the House has passed legislation already approved by the Senate which would allow private American citizens to formally bring lawsuits against the Saudi Arabia government for their alleged involvement in the attacks of 9/11. Both Obama and a White House spokesman said in April the president would veto the bill.
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The legislation would narrow the immunity that foreign states and their employees now enjoy from being sued in USA courts by giving district courts the jurisdiction to hear cases related to attacks carried out by designated terrorist organizations on US soil with suspected support from other nations.
The Senate passed the bill in May by voice vote despite vehement objections from Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally in the Middle East. Fifteen of the 19 September 11 hijackers who crashed airliners in NY, outside Washington and in Pennsylvania were Saudi nationals. The most high-profile example came earlier this year when House Republicans attempted to pass a bill that would have repealed several top line provisions to the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare and considered to be a major part of Obama’s legacy in office.
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.
The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act amends a 1976 law.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir has denied such threats, but he warned that investor confidence would be shaken if such a measure was enacted. “It would be unprecedented for a U.S. President to veto a bill with that kind of bipartisan support”.
“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.
The passing of the bill happened two days before the US and the rest of the world pay tribute to the more than 3,000 victims of the 9/11 attacks.
If signed into law, the bipartisan Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act would permit Americans to make civil claims “against a foreign state or official for injuries, death, or damages from an act of global terrorism”.
Ties between Saudi officials and terrorists behind the 9/11 attacks were exposed when U.S. lawmakers released 28 secret pages of a congressional investigation.
“I’m pleased the House has taken this huge step forward towards justice for the families of the victims of 9/11”, Schumer said in a statement Friday. Saudi Arabia has lobbied hard against the legislation, even threatening to start selling off USA assets if the measure passes.
Sen. John Cornyn, sponsor of the bill, called on President Obama to sign the bill into law, according to a Buzzfeed report.
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“The war crimes being committed by [the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen] absolutely damages the reputation of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia”, said Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif.
