This year, the 15th anniversary of September 11th was quickly followed by the passing of powerful anti-terrorism legislation. On September 28, 2016, the Senate rejected a veto by President Obama and passed the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Bill (JASTA). JASTA allows Americans, including relatives and victims of the 9/11 attacks, to sue foreign states for acts of terrorism in the U.S. The vote in the Senate was 97 to 1 and in the House, it was 348 to 77. This was the first veto override during Obama’s presidency. The Washington Post shares that Democratic Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York, who co-authored the bill, said, “Overriding a presidential veto is something we don’t take lightly, but it was important in this case that the families of the victims of 9/11 be allowed to pursue justice, even if that pursuit causes some diplomatic discomforts” (washingtonpost.com). JASTA states that liability may be asserted as to any person who aids and abets a foreign terrorist organization by knowingly providing substantial assistance, or who conspires with the person who committed such an act of international terrorism.
With JASTA’s passage, 9/11 victims and families will be able to sue the Saudi Arabian government for providing material support to al Queda. Two days after JASTA passed, The Miller Firm filed a 9/11 lawsuit against Saudi Arabia in Washington, D.C. This is the first such lawsuit filed since passage of the bill. This suit for wrongful death and intentional infliction of emotional distress is filed on behalf of an individual who was widowed on 911 and her child, whom she was pregnant with at the time of the attacks. The suit alleges that Saudi Arabia provided financial and logistical support to al Queda for over a decade through government-controlled agents, organizations, and charities, which in fact made it possible for the 9/11 attacks to occur. Though the Saudi Arabian government has denied any involvement in 9/11 and lobbied against JASTA, formerly classified Congressional reports released in July of this year showed coordination between the 9/11 hijackers and Saudi officials.
The Miller Firm’s seasoned terrorism lawyers have won substantial compensation for international terror victims and their families in numerous cases. They are committed to achieving concrete benefits and meaningful justice for the victims and families of 9/11. If you suffered injuries or your loved one died on 9/11, we offer our deepest continuing sympathies.
The Miller Firm is presently accepting clients who were injured or families who experienced terrible loss on September 11, 2011. Please call 1-800-882-2525 and ask to speak to attorneys David Dickens, Timothy Litzenburg, Michael Miller, or Nancy Miller. They can also be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].
