Miami suit seeks $20M from Palestinians for terrorist acts

Haaretz ^ | Associated Press | Associated Press

[yonif]

MIAMI - A U.S. citizen injured in a terrorist attack in Israel and the estate of an Israeli lawyer killed by the same attacker have filed a lawsuit in federal court in Miami, seeking more than $20 million from Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, five Palestinian groups and other individuals.

The suit by Moshe Saperstein and the estate of Ahuva Amergi accuses Arafat, the Palestinian Authority, the Palestine Liberation Organization, the Palestinian Preventive Services and Yaser Mahmud Alkativ, a commander in the Palestinian General Intelligence Services, with organizing, facilitating and sponsoring attacks against Jewish civilians in Israel and regions of the West Bank.

The suit, filed late Thursday, alleges Alkativ was working for the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade when he recruited Muhamad Al Katzir to join the group and attack Israelis.

The suit said members of the group drove Katzir to a road near Kisufam, Israel, on February 18, 2002, after he made a video statement about terrorist acts he was about to commit and gave his last will and testament.

The suit claims Katzir attacked both Saperstein and Amergi with an AK-47 as they drove separately along that road. Saperstein was shot in the hand; Amergi was killed.

The lawsuit said that two Israel Defense Forces soldiers were also killed while trying to help Amergi.

Saperstein is a joint U.S-Israeli citizen. The suit said he lost one arm in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, and lost his other hand in the 2002 attack. Amergi was an Israeli lawyer.

To explain why the defendants filed their claims in the Miami district court, the suit cited a U.S. law that grants federal district courts jurisdiction in cases related to international terrorism, or in cases that violate international law or U.S. treaties.

Saperstein falls under the first case, Amergi under the second, the filing said. The Miami attorneys who filed the lawsuit could not be reached for comment late Friday.

[Mark17]

Do you suppose he will collect anything?

[truth_seeker]

"Do you suppose he will collect anything?"

I'd like to see similar lawsuits against CAIR and other "peaceful" muslim groups.

If successful in US courts, it could tie up some more of their money -- beyond current wot efforts.

[cardinal4]

I'd like to see similar lawsuits against CAIR and other "peaceful" muslim groups.

GMTA..You beat me to it! I think people like Arafat, Qadaffi, the country of Iran and Syria, Ibrahim Hooper, etal. should be named in every lawsuit filed as a result of terror attacks. Make them perpetual defendants..

[SunkenCiv]

I hold Dershowitz in very low regard most of the time. This book is one reason why I do. He has the right idea in part -- that the US needs to consistently fight terrorists, and support those friends such as Israel which also fight them -- but the means he advocates is pretty much entirely legal. That is a very stupid approach that can't possibly work. "You a terrorist? Here, you're served, buddy."

Why Terrorism Works by Alan M. Dershowitz

[Mark17]

I'd like to see similar lawsuits against CAIR and other "peaceful" muslim groups.

I would too, but you know in this day and age of PC, it will never happen. I have said it before, and I will say it again. PC is so deeply entrenched in American society, that I am not certain even a nuclear weapon going off on US soil, would be enough to dislodge PC.