US Court Says Hezbollah, Tehran Responsible for 9/11 Attacks
Alsharq Al Awsat/: Mohammed Ali Saleh/Washington- A US judge ordered Iran to pay over $10 billion in damages to families of victims who died on September 11, 2001. The default judgement was issued by US District Judge George Daniels in New York on Wednesday. Under the ruling, Tehran was ordered to pay $7.5 billion to 9/11 victims’ families, including $2 million to each victim’s estate for pain and suffering, and another $6.88 million in punitive damages. Insurers who paid for property damage and claimed their businesses were interrupted were awarded an additional $3 billion in the ruling. Saudi Arabia was legally cleared from paying billions in damages to families of 9/11 victims last year, after Judge Daniels dismissed claims that the country provided material support to the terrorists and ruled that Riyadh had sovereign immunity. Saudi attorneys argued in court that there was no evidence directly linking the country to 9/11. In response to the latest ruling, Iran on Monday rejected the US “ridiculous” court ruling that the Islamic republic pay more than $10 billion in compensation over the Al-Qaeda-claimed 9/11 attacks. “This judgement is so ridiculous… more than ever before, it damages the credibility of the US judicial system,” state television quoted an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman as saying. “Such judgements also send a very dangerous message to terrorists and to their supporters: Kill people… not only will we not prosecute, but we will even target your greatest enemies instead,” Hossein Jaber Ansari said. “We also see the US administration as a partner in such verdicts,” Ansari added. Tehran’s role in 9/11 has been debated heavily over the years. The 9/11 Commission Report stated that some hijackers moved through Iran and did not have their passports stamped. It also stated that Hezbollah, which the US designates as a terrorist organization supported by Iran, provided “advice and training” to Al-Qaeda members. In a court document filed in 2011 regarding the latest case, plaintiffs claimed Hezbollah “provided material support” to Al-Qaeda, such as facilitating travel, plus “direct support” for the 9/11 attacks. As a result, the plaintiffs argued Iran was responsible. While the report suggested further investigation into the issue, President George W. Bush has said, “There was no direct connection between Iran and the attacks of September 11.”
Seven on Trial in UAE on Charges of Leaking State Secrets to Hizbullah
Naharnet/March 15/16/The Supreme Federal Court of Abu Dhabi has adjourned to April 18 a hearing in the case of seven suspects, including three Lebanese, accused of providing classified information to Hizbullah. At a hearing held on Monday, the public prosecution told the court that the first defendant, a public official, handed one of the suspects classified information about the UAE armed forces’ procurement contracts, as well as a list of names and ranks of state security officers. The court heard that another accused, an Egyptian geologist working for a petroleum company, handed over information to the other suspects about oil production in Abu Dhabi. She divulged names of the oil fields and provided a map that shows where these fields are located, the prosecution said. It told the court that one of the accused obtained top secrets on the UAE’s defense sector and passed it on to Iran. He allegedly took photos of the premises of the interior and foreign ministries, a military camp and state security facilities. Another member of the network who is on trial is charged with taking photos of foreign embassies in the UAE and airports at Abu Dhabi and Dubai and handing them over to Hizbullah. All the defendants denied the charges against them on Monday. Authorities have enacted tougher anti-terror legislation, including harsher jail terms and have introduced the death penalty for crimes linked to religious hatred and extremist groups. The UAE stepped up security measures since the wave of Arab Spring protests that swept the region in 2011. On March 2, the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes the UAE, considered Hizbullah a terrorist organization.