(Newswire.net — September 24, 2016) — President Barack Obama has vetoed the “Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act”, also known as JASTA or the “9/11 Bill.”
JASTA was designed to fight sponsors of terrorists by enabling terror victims to sue the county who has been proven to have sponsored the terrorist organizations involved.
Sovereign immunity, established in international law in 1976, prevents individuals from suing a foreign country. JASTA, however, would be an exception to the rule, allowing US citizens to sue foreign countries over terrorist attacks that have resulted in the death of Americans on US soil.
Although the investigation into 9/11 alledged that 15 out of 19 hijackers had ties with Saudi Arabia, and three were from the United Arab Emirates, the US punished Iraq and Afghanistan instead. Now, the victims demand justice through legal institutions, however, it sparked an aggravated response from Saudi Arabia, who threatens serious consequences towards the US economy.
After the Senate passed the 9/11 Bill in May, US President Barack Obama vetoed the Act arguing that it would harm US national interests.
In his veto message, Obama wrote he had “deep sympathy for the families of the victims of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, who have suffered grievously,” CNN reports.
“As drafted, the JASTA would allow private litigation against foreign governments in U.S. courts based on allegations that such foreign government’s actions abroad made them responsible for terrorism- related injuries in U.S. soil,” President Obama said.
“This legislation would permit litigation against countries that have neither been designated by the executive branch as state sponsors of terrorism nor taken direct actions in the United States to carry out an attack there. JASTA would be detrimental to US national interests more broadly, which is why I return it without my approval,” the President explained.
Rejected by the President of the United States, the bill could still see the light of day if the presidential veto is overridden. Republican majority leaders in Congress are confident they have enough votes to push JASTA forward.
“There will be a roll call vote on the veto override,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) told reporters on Tuesday. “Our assumption is that the veto will be overridden.”
Senator Charles Schumer (D-New York) called the veto a “disappointing decision.” In his statement on Friday, Senator Schumer said he is convinced the veto will be “swiftly and soundly overturned.”
“If the Saudis did nothing wrong, they should not fear this legislation,” Senator Schumer wrote.
Calling on the international law, the the Saudi Arabian government stated that JASTA “violates international law, particularly the principle of sovereign equality between states,” Reuters reports.