MOSCOW, September 11 (RIA Novosti) - The Senate Judiciary Committee voted unanimously on Thursday in favor of the Justice For Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) which would allow the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and possible future attacks, the right to sue foreign states believed responsible for damages.
"This legislation has been long-sought after by families of 9/11 in order to bring a small amount of justice for the loss of their loved ones, by allowing them to sue foreign states and financial partners of terrorism," said a Thursday press release by New York Senator Chuck Schumer, the bill's leading sponsor.
JASTA passed the Judiciary with unanimous support and will now move to the full Senate for a vote. JASTA allows victims of terrorism the right to pursue foreign states and sponsors of terrorism in federal court, and amends the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSA), prohibiting states from claiming "sovereign immunity" if such a lawsuit is brought against them.
The Act will affect ongoing attempts by families of 9/11 victims to sue the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for sponsoring members of Al Qaeda who committed the 2001 terrorist attacks. In 2009, the Obama Department of Justice upheld Saudi Arabia"s immunity from the lawsuit under the FSA. An appeals court decision in 2013 challenged that decision, allowing the case to move forward. A Congressional action would guarantee the families" lawsuit could finally move through the courts.
According to the press release, without the JASTA legislation, "Americans may have no recourse against the foreign states and groups that sponsor terrorist attacks."
Schumer stated, "On the anniversary of the horrific September 11th attacks, there is no more appropriate day for us to consider and unanimously pass JASTA." He continued, "The ability of foreign entities that funded the terrorist attacks to get off scot free adds profound insult to the enormous injury that these families suffered that day and every day since." Schumer said he will continue to fight for the passage of the bill in the full Senate.
