Obama vetoes 9/11 Saudi Bill

Washington, September 24

US President Barack Obama has vetoed legislation allowing families of victims of the September 11 attacks to sue Saudi Arabia, which could prompt Congress to overturn his decision with a rare veto override, the first of his presidency.

Obama said the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act would hurt US national security and harm important alliances, while shifting crucial terrorism-related issues from policy officials into the hands of the courts.

The Bill passed the Senate and House of Representatives in reaction to long-running suspicions, denied by Saudi Arabia, that hijackers of the four US jetliners that attacked the United States in 2001 were backed by the Saudi government.

Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were Saudi nationals.

Obama said other countries could use the law, known as JASTA, as an excuse to sue US diplomats, members of the military or companies — even for actions of foreign organisations that had received US aid, equipment or training.

Senator Chuck Schumer, who co-wrote the legislation and has championed it, immediately made clear how difficult it will be for Obama to sustain the veto.

Schumer, the No. 3 Democrat in the Senate, issued a statement within moments of receiving the veto, promising that it would be “swiftly and soundly overturned”. He represents New York, home of most of the 9/11 victims.

Both the Democratic and Republican candidates for president, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, said they would have signed the Bill into law if they were in the White House.

If two-thirds of the lawmakers in both the Senate and House vote to override, the law would stand, the first such override since Omaba became President in 2009, and possibly the last. Obama leaves office in January. Friday’s veto was the 12th of his presidency. — Reuters