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9/11 bill passes US Senate despite Saudi threats

17 May 2016 21:55 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. A bill that would allow the families of 9/11 victims to sue the Saudi government has passed a key hurdle in the US Senate, APA reports quoting BBC.

The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) now moves to the House of Representatives.

President Barack Obama said he'll veto the bill, but a Democratic Senator is "confident" he'd be overruled.

Saudi Arabia denies any involvement in the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

If it became law the legislation would allow victims' families to sue the government of Saudi Arabia in a US court if it played a role in any element of the attack.

A White House spokesman said President Obama had serious concerns about the bill, and it was difficult to imagine he would sign it into law.

It was sponsored by Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer of New York and Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas and is expected to be passed by the House of Representatives as well.