(AP/Newsday) - U.S. District Judge Ricardo M. Urbina has ruled that the Iranian government must pay more than $400 million in damages to eight Americans injured in a 1997 suicide bombing at a crowded pedestrian mall in Jerusalem, carried out by members of Hamas. Urbina said evidence shows Hamas receives training, money, and operational support from Iran. In the decision, Urbina awarded $123 million in compensatory damages and $300 million in punitive damages. Victims of foreign terrorism who win judgments against Iran are allowed to collect a portion of their compensatory damages from the U.S. government. Frozen Iranian assets in the U.S. serve as collateral for the payments.
2003-09-16 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive