American President Barack Obama has vetoed a bill allowing 9/11 families to sue Saudi Arabia, risking a fierce public backlash and rare congressional rebuke.
While expressing "deep sympathy" for the families of the victims, Obama said the law would be "detrimental to US national interests."
AFP
The White House tried and failed to have the legislation which was unanimously passed by Congress,?scrapped or substantially revised.
Terry Strada, whose husband Tom was killed in World Trade Center Tower One, told AFP the 9/11 "families are outraged and very disappointed" by Obama's decision.
She vowed that the group would now lobby "just as hard as we possibly can" to have Congress overturn the decision.
Reuters
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who has already painted Obama and his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton as weak on terrorism, described the decision as "shameful."
"That President Obama would deny the parents, spouses and children of those we lost on that horrific day the chance to close this painful chapter in their lives is a disgrace."
On that point at least Trump was in agreement with Clinton, who, according to her campaign spokesman Jesse Lehrich, would also sign the bill.
AFP
Obama now faces the very real prospect of Republican and Democratic lawmakers joining forces to override his veto for the first time in his presidency.
Such a rebuke -- which Congressional sources say could come as early as next Tuesday -- would mark Obama's last months in office and show the White House to be much weakened.
Families of 9/11 victims have campaigned for the law convinced that the Saudi government had a hand in the attacks that killed almost 3,000 people.
Reuters
The Saudi government denies any links to the plotters.
Declassified documents showed US intelligence had multiple suspicions about links between the Saudi government and the attackers.
"While in the United States, some of the 9/11 hijackers were in contact with, and received support or assistance from, individuals who may be connected to the Saudi government," a finding read.
AFP
Behind the scenes, Riyadh has been lobbying furiously for the bill to be scrapped.
A senior Saudi prince reportedly threatened to pull billions of dollars out of US assets if it becomes law, but Saudi officials now distance themselves from that claim.
The US-Saudi relationship had already been strained by Obama's engagement with Saudi's Shia foe Iran and the July release of a secret report on Saudi involvement in the attacks.
The White House insists Obama did not veto because of concerns over ties with Saudi Arabia, saying it is worried the bill would set a dangerous legal precedent, undermining the principle of sovereign immunity.