The European Union (EU) has called on US President Barack Obama to veto a bill that would allow the families of 9/11 attack victims to sue Saudi Arabia.
“The European Union considers that the adoption of the bill and its subsequent implementation might have unwanted consequences as other States may seek to adopt similar legislation, leading to a further weakening of the principles of State sovereign immunity,” the EU delegation to the United States wrote on Wednesday.
The delegation warned the US State Department that the legislation would “put a burden on bilateral relations between states.”
“Therefore, the European Union calls upon the President of the United States to act in order to prevent the JASTA [Justice Against State Sponsors of Terrorism Act] bill from becoming law,” the delegation stated.
The Obama administration has already said it will veto the bill on similar grounds. “The president does plan to veto this legislation,” White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said last week.
“I do anticipate the president will veto the legislation when it is presented to him. It hasn’t been presented to him yet,” Earnest said on September 12.
Obama has opposed the bill, asserting that foreigners could try to exploit it to sue the United States.
The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism bill passed on September 9 by both houses of Congress would allow the families to sue the Saudi Arabian government in a US federal court.
Obama has come under pressure from Democratic lawmakers and 9/11 victims’ families who support the legislation.
Some lawmakers, including, Congresswoman Rosa Delauro and Senator Richard Blumenthal have called on Obama to sign the bill.
Saudi Arabia has strongly opposed the bill and threatened to sell off $750 billion in American assets if it becomes law.
9/11 victims’ families protest
Meanwhile, a large number of activists and family members of the September 11 attacks marched on the White House on Wednesday, protesting President Obama’s decision to veto Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism bill.
The September 11 attacks, also known as the 9/11 attacks, were a series of strikes in the US which killed nearly 3,000 people and caused about $10 billion worth of property and infrastructure damage.
US officials assert that the attacks were carried out by al-Qaeda terrorists but many experts have raised questions about the official account. They believe that rogue elements within the US government orchestrated or at least encouraged the 9/11 attacks in order to accelerate the US war machine and advance the Zionist agenda. – Press TV.
