(AP/Newsday) A federal judge has ruled the Palestinian militant group Hamas must pay more than $116 million for murdering Yaron Ungar, an American citizen, and his Israeli wife, Efrat, as they drove home from a wedding in June 1996. The lawsuit was filed in 2000 by David Strachman, a Providence attorney designated by an Israeli court to manage the couple's estate. Strachman also seeks to hold the PLO and the PA accountable for the crime, alleging they provided a safe haven and operational base for Hamas. A hearing has been scheduled for July 14, at which time the judge could issue a default judgment against the PLO. The case was filed under the Antiterrorism Act of 1991 that allows American victims of overseas terrorism to seek monetary damages in U.S. courts.
2003-07-04 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive