A Saudi Foreign Ministry official has warned that a new law in the United States allowing the families of 9/11 victims to sue the kingdom will have "catastrophic and dangerous" consequences. The U.S. Congress recently recognized the right of victims' families from the September 11, 2001 attacks to file lawsuits against the Saudi government. Last week, President Barack Obama vetoed this legislation, but on Wednesday, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly voted 97 to 1 to override the president's veto. Hours after the Senate, the House of Representatives also decisively nullified Obama's veto. According to this law, if it is proven that the Saudi government was involved in the 9/11 attacks, the victims' families can sue Riyadh in U.S. courts. According to AFP, a source from the Saudi Foreign Ministry on Thursday urged the U.S. Congress to take "necessary actions to address the catastrophic and dangerous consequences" of this law. The unnamed spokesperson emphasized in an interview with the official news agency of the country that this law is very "concerning." The spokesperson also stated that this law "will undermine state immunity" and have negative consequences for all countries, including the U.S. This Saudi official expressed hope that rationality would prevail in the U.S. The U.S. president had previously warned about the negative consequences of this legislation. Obama stated yesterday that if we eliminate state immunity against citizens of other countries, our uniformed men and women around the world may be exposed to such actions. He added that his concern is not related to Saudi Arabia or sympathy with the families of the 9/11 victims, but rather that he does not want to unintentionally find ourselves in a situation where we are held responsible for actions taken worldwide. Several U.S. officials, including John Brennan, the head of the CIA, have warned about the implications of this law for U.S. national security. According to AFP, Saudi Arabia, which is considered a key ally of Washington in the Middle East, could see its relations with the U.S. affected by this law. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers in the September 11, 2001 attacks were Saudi nationals, although Riyadh strongly denies any connection to them.
Riyadh Warns of Consequences of Law Allowing 9/11 Victims' Families to Sue Saudi Arabia
The U.S. Congress has passed a law allowing families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia, which President Obama vetoed but was overridden by Congress. Saudi officials warn this law could have severe consequences for U.S.-Saudi relations and international state immunity. This development raises concerns about national security and diplomatic ties.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The U.S. Congress passed a law allowing families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia, overriding President Obama's veto. Saudi officials have warned that this could lead to severe diplomatic consequences.
- Fifteen of the 19 hijackers in the 9/11 attacks were Saudi nationals.
- The law could undermine state immunity for countries, affecting international relations.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The 9/11 attacks have long been a point of contention regarding Saudi Arabia's involvement, despite official denials. This law reflects a growing demand for accountability.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%