Iran ordered to pay $254 million in Khobar Towers bombing
WASHINGTON, Dec 22 (Reuters) – A U.S. federal judge on Friday ordered the Islamic Republic of Iran to pay $254 million to the family of 17 U.S. servicemen killed in the 1996 bombing of the Khobar Towers residence at a U.S. military base in Saudi Arabia.
The default judgment was entered against the Iranian government, its security ministry and the Revolutionary Guards after they failed to respond to the lawsuit, which was initiated more than four years ago.
In issuing the $254.4 million judgment in the case, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth concluded that “the Khobar Towers attack was carried out by people recruited by Gen. Ahmed Sharifi of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.”
The decision relied heavily on an investigation of the attack by the FBI under director Louis Freeh. The FBI probe led to the grand jury indictment of 13 members of Hezbollah in June 21, 2001.
“The totality of the evidence at trial, combined with the findings and conclusions entered by this court … firmly establishes that the Khobar Towers bombing was planned, funded and sponsored by senior leadership in the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Lamberth wrote.
“The sheer gravity and nature of the attack demonstrate the defendants’ unlawful intent to inflict severe emotional distress upon the American servicemen as well as their close relatives,” he added.
Wild Thing’s comment…….
We will see if Iran steps up to the plate and pays this. Not holding my breath though.
What better way to illustrate the national problem than to treat it as a criminal offense, adjudicate a ‘fine’ and let the lawyers pursue it, when it should be treated as the act of war that it is. Unlawful my ass!!!
This just proves that we have too many lawyers, too many judges and too much of a litigating mindset. I bet the Iranians are laughing their Persian butts off saying, “What are the Americans going to do, issue a warrant and send Dog the bounty hunter?”
Ok now who is going to enforce this court order ?
Jack I agree, and I don’t think they will even pay it. Why should they we didn’t treat it as an act of war like we should have and that tells Iran volumes that we don’t take their acts of war seriously. Grrrrr
Tom, good one. Exactly!!
Mark isn’t it something? sheesh amazing!!