Report: Saudis threaten to sell off US assets over 9/11 bill

Saudi Arabia is warning the Obama administration of financial repercussions if Congress passes a bill that would allow the Saudi government to be held responsible in American courts for any role in the 9/11 terror attacks, according to a Saturday New York Times report.

{mosads}The government is threatening to sell off hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of American assets held by the kingdom if Congress passes the bill.

The Obama administration has lobbied against the bill, saying it would put Americans at legal risk overseas.

Saudi officials have long denied any role in the Sept. 11, 2001, plot, and the 9/11 commission found no evidence the government was involved. However, critics say the vague wording left open the possibility that less senior officials or other parts of the Saudi government could have played a role, according to the Times.

Additionally, 28 pages of the 2002 congressional inquiry still haven’t been released to the public, which reportedly cite some evidence that Saudi officials living in the U.S. had some hand in the plot.

President Obama will arrive in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, on Wednesday for meetings with King Salman and other Saudi officials, but there’s no word if the dispute over the legislation will be discussed.