Hillary Clinton calls on Gulf states to curb extremism

Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton on Monday called on the United States' Gulf allies to crack down on citizens supporting extremism, a day after the deadly attack on a gay nightclub in Florida.

"It is long past time for the Saudis, the Qataris, and the Kuwaitis and others to stop their citizens from funding extremist organisations," Clinton said in a national security speech in Cleveland, Ohio.

"And they should stop supporting radical schools and mosques around the world that have set too many young people on a path toward extremism."

"We face a twisted ideology and poisoned psychology that inspires the so-called lone wolves," whom she described as radicalised individuals who may or may not have direction from a formal organisation.

US officials have said they do not believe the Orlando shooter, Omar Mateen, had outside direction from abroad in carrying out the attack that left 49 dead.

The FBI has said Mateen may have been radicalised by online propaganda, while Relatives and acquaintances have painted a picture of a violent and unstable young man who had beat his ex-wife and expressed homophobic views.

Clinton's remarks come at a time the once strong American-Gulf relationship has become strained due to various developments, chiefly the thaw in US-Iranian relations following last year's historic nuclear deal.

US lawmakers in recent months have also called for redacted segments of the 9/11 report pertaining to Saudi Arabia's alleged involvement in the attack to be published.

These 28 pages, I believe they are going to come out, I think it's good that they come out. But people shouldn't take them as evidence of Saudi complicity in the attacks. - CIA chief John Brennan

Over the weekend, CIA chief John Brennan said that the top-secret 28 pages of the report would likely be released to the public and that they showed no evidence of official Saudi complicity in the era-defining attacks.

"These 28 pages, I believe they are going to come out, I think it's good that they come out. But people shouldn't take them as evidence of Saudi complicity in the attacks," Brennan said in an interview with Saudi media.

The 9/11 Commission, which was set up by then-president George W Bush, presented its report in 2004.

The blacked-out pages were classified under the instruction of Bush, who was close to the Saudi royal family, leading to speculation they suggested Saudi involvement.

The US Senate approved a bill last month which could allow the families of those who died in the attacks to take the Saudi government to court.

The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act gives victims' families the right to sue the government of Saudi Arabia in US court for any role that elements of the Riyadh government may have played in the 2001 attacks, however, the house must still approve the legislation.

Saudi Arabia has already threatened to pull billions of dollars from the US economy if the bill is enacted.