Saudi Arabia warns of 'disastrous consequences' over US 9/11 law

September 30, 2016

Riyadh, Sep 30: Saudi Arabia has warned of "disastrous consequences" from a United States law allowing 9/11 victims to sue the kingdom, in a major spike in tension between the longstanding allies.

twitpic-35The warning came yesterday after the US Congress voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to override President Barack Obama's veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) on relations between states.

JASTA allows attack survivors and relatives of terrorism victims to pursue cases against foreign governments in US federal court and to demand compensation if such governments are proven to bear some responsibility for attacks on US soil.

A Saudi foreign ministry source yesterday called on the US Congress "to take the necessary measures to counter the disastrous and dangerous consequences" of the law.

The unnamed spokesman, cited by the official Saudi Press Agency, said the law is "a source of great worry."

This law "weakens the immunity of states", and will have a negative impact on all countries "including the United States," the Saudi spokesman said, expressing hope that "wisdom will prevail."

In opposing the law, Obama said it would harm US interests by undermining the principle of sovereign immunity, opening up the US to private lawsuits over its military missions abroad.

The erosion of sovereign immunity is also a concern among the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, of which Saudi Arabia is the most powerful member. Saudi Arabia's Gulf allies have lined up beside Riyadh to criticise the law.

Analysts earlier yesterday warned that Saudi Arabia could reduce valuable security and intelligence cooperation with longstanding ally Washington after the Congressional "stab in the back."

Cutting such cooperation is among the options available to Riyadh, the analysts said.

"I'm afraid that this bill will have dire strategic implications" for the United States, Salman al-Ansari, head of the Saudi American Public Relation Affairs Committee (SAPRAC), told AFP.

"This partnership has helped provide US authorities with accurate intelligence information" that helped stopped attacks, said Ansari, whose committee is a private initiative to strengthen Saudi-US ties.

Riyadh and Washington have a decades-old relationship based on the exchange of American security for Saudi oil.

Saudi Arabia was home to 15 of the 19 Al-Qaeda hijackers who carried out the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States which killed nearly 3,000 people.

Riyadh denies any ties to the plotters. Ties between Riyadh and Washington became increasingly frayed under Obama, but analysts said security cooperation and intelligence sharing remained solid.

Comments

PONDER
 - 
Saturday, 1 Oct 2016

Naser , No doubt its clear the Js did it.

watch in YT
Firefighters, Architects & Engineers for 9-11 Truth\ - Richard Gage, AIA - April 6th, 2016"

NASER
 - 
Friday, 30 Sep 2016

Its law of jungle adapted by the united states. Its really laughable to accuse saudi arabia or any nation for some of the its citizen are accused . First of all still 911 incident is doubted as who has done it.

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News Network
March 18,2020

Dubai, Mar 18: Emirates, one of the world's biggest international airlines, has asked pilots to take unpaid leave to help it mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic that has shattered demand for global travel.

"To this end you are strongly encouraged to make use of this opportunity to volunteer for additional paid and unpaid leave," the airline said in an internal email to pilots, seen by Reuters.

Emirates earlier this month asked some staff to take unpaid leave, although at that time it was not available to pilots.

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News Network
March 9,2020

Riyadh, Mar 9: Schools and universities will be closed in Saudi Arabia from Monday to control the spread of coronavirus.

The Saudi Ministry of Education said the “preventive and precautionary” measures were recommended by the health authorities and are designed to protect students and staff.

The decision covers all educational institutions, including public and private schools, and technical and vocational training institutions.

“The Minister of Education directed that virtual schools and distance education be activated while the schools are closed to ensure that the educational process continues in an effective and quality manner,” the ministry said.

The Kingdom's Education Minister, Hamad bin Mohammed Al-Asheikh, confirmed that the decision was a precautionary step and said that they are conducting daily and weekly evaluations before returning to school.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, confirmed that there have been no coronavirus cases in any educational facility in the Kingdom.

“Thank God, the situation is reassuring, and there has been no case in any educational facility. However, the increasing cases in countries have made us keen to enhance the safety of our sons and daughters. So we coordinated with the Ministry of Education to close the schools temporarily,” he said in a tweet on Sunday.

The education ministry has set up supervision offices to help coordinate the distance learning, and respond to parents’ inquiries.

A new committee set up by the ministry will also ensure the virtual schools are functioning through the distance learning methods provided by the ministry.

These include the virtual school platform (Vschool.sa) and mwterials available from the Apple and Android stores.

It will also provide lessons through the “Ain” TV channeland as well as on YouTube via this link: www.youtube.com/dorosien.

The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque also said on Sunday that it will suspend the visitation programs in its external facilities as part of recommended precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and ensure the safety of visitors.

The facilities include the King Abdulaziz Complex for the Covering of the Holy Kaaba, the Gallery of the Two Holy Mosques, and the Library of the Holy Mosque of Makkah.

“The presidency has taken a series of precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the virus, by intensifying sterilization work that is taking place around the clock, and has been keen on coordination and joint cooperation with all relevant government sectors,” it said in a statement issued on SPA.

It added that these preventive efforts come within the procedures that are being implemented by the Saudi government seeking to combat the spread of the new virus, to protect the people of the Two Holy Mosques in particular, and citizens and residents in the Kingdom in general.

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News Network
April 21,2020

Dubai, Apr 21: Saudi Arabia reported 1122 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 10,484, the Ministry of Health announced on Monday (April 20).

Ministry of health announced 27% of the cases are for Saudis, while 73% for non-Saudis, and ages ranged from one month old baby to 96 years old.

Meanwhile, the ministry reported 92 recoveries today, with total recoveries in the kingdom at 1,490. There are 96 cases in intensive care.

The ministry also confirmed 6 deaths on Monday, bringing the total number of deaths in the kingdom to 103.

The Saudi health minister on Monday announced that 47 billion riyals were approved by the goverment to support the health ministry in this pandemic.

Also the minister in a press confrence referred to the large numbers of cases revealed in past days saying, "During the past three days, everyone noticed an increase in the number of people infected with the coronavirus, due to the active testing of areas."

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