Court Gutters Case by Foreign Terror Victims
Months after Arab Bank settled an anti-terrorism lawsuit filed by U.S. citizens, the Second Circuit refused today to revive a different case the bank faced by foreigners whose families were maimed or killed in attacks on Israel…Following suicide bombings on Israeli civilians between 2000 and 2004, families of the victims brought lawsuits in U.S. federal courts against Arab Bank and other institutions they accused of supporting terrorists. The U.S. citizen victims won a verdict holding Arab Bank liable for the attacks last year, and then reached a confidential settlement with the Amman, Jordan-based bank…Arab Bank still faced a lawsuit in Manhattan by foreign citizens killed in those attacks, but the Second Circuit ruled Tuesday that this case fails under the Alien Tort Statute…Nigerians brought the claims underpinning Kiobel, accusing the Netherlands-based oil giant being in league with the torture of activists who threatened their bottom line. Lack of jurisdiction ultimately kept the case from ever going to trial here. Citing that precedent, a three-judge panel of the Second Circuit found Tuesday that Arab Bank's foreign challengers are likewise without recourse in New York…[T]he plaintiffs are examining their options to appeal. Arab Bank said it is "pleased" with the circuit's ruling…