Sudan condemns US law allowing September 11 victims to sue state

Sudan President Hassan Al Bashir addresses the crowd during a rally supporting the Peace Process in Al Fashir, capital of North Darfur September 7, 2016. /REUTERS
Sudan President Hassan Al Bashir addresses the crowd during a rally supporting the Peace Process in Al Fashir, capital of North Darfur September 7, 2016. /REUTERS

Sudan

condemned on Tuesday a US law that would allow families of victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks to sue governments for damages.

The country said the law undermined state sovereignty and could provoke reciprocal legislation.

Sudan

hosted Osama bin Laden, the al Qaeda leader behind the attacks, from 1991-1996, although it has denied allegations that it funded him.

Its government was among dozens of defendants named in a 2002 lawsuit filed by families of September 11 victims.

The US Senate and House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly last Wednesday to approve the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism (JASTA) legislation.

The legislation grants an exception to the legal principle of sovereign immunity in cases of terrorism on US` soil.

"This act clearly violates the sovereignty and immunity of states and could lead the world into legislative chaos," a statement from

Sudan's presidency said.

"Sudan

would not rule out several other countries drafting laws to lift sovereign immunity against countries that have laws which do not respect sovereign immunity, based on the principal of reciprocal treatment."

The legislation will allow the families of those killed in the 2001 attacks on the United States to seek damages from the Saudi government. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were Saudi. Riyadh has denied longstanding suspicions that it backed the attackers.

Saudi Arabia said on Monday the law represented a threat to international relations.

Sudan

is an ally of Saudi Arabia.

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