Gulf states condemn law letting 9/11 families sue Saudi Arabia

Such laws will negatively affect international cooperation to combat terrorism, says GCC Secretary General

DUBAI: The Saudi-dominated Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Monday condemned a law passed by the United States Congress last week that would allow the families of victims of the September 11 attacks to sue the kingdom's government for damages.

The head of the six-nation GCC said the law was "contrary to the foundations and principles of relations between states and the principle of sovereign immunity enjoyed by states."



"Such laws will negatively affect the international efforts and international cooperation to combat terrorism," GCC Secretary General Abdullatif al Zayani said in a statement.

The US House of Representatives passed the "Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act," known as JASTA, on Friday but the White House has threatened to veto the measure.



Fifteen of the 19 hijackers who crashed airliners in New York, outside Washington and in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001 were Saudi nationals, but the Saudi government has strongly denied responsibility and has lobbied against the bill.