FOR IMMEDATE RELEASE
Federal Court Holds Syria Accountable, Delivers Justice to the American Victims of the August 9, 2001 Sbarro Restaurant Suicide Bombing
Seventeen years ago, a HAMAS suicide bomber concealing explosives in a guitar case, entered the Sbarro Restaurant in Jerusalem, Israel just before 2:00pm and detonated his bomb. The 5-kg-10kg bomb, which was packed with nails, screws and bolts to ensure maximum damage, completely gutted the restaurant, which was full of lunch time diners, including school children.
The terrorist killed 15 people and injured 130 in the Sbarro attack. Among the victims killed was 15 year old Malka Roth, an American citizen.
In 2014, acting on behalf of the family of Malka Roth, attorneys Richard D. Heideman, Noel J. Nudelman and Tracy Reichman Kalik of Heideman Nudelman & Kalik PC, sued the Syrian Arab Republic and Syrian Air Force Intelligence for their state sponsorship of HAMAS and involvement in the Sbarro attack.
Judge Royce C. Lamberth presiding over the case in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, styled Roth et, al, v. Syrian Arab Republic, et al., Civil Action No. 14-cv-01946, recently rendered his verdict. He awarded judgment against the Syrian defendants, holding them accountable for the Sbarro attack and awarding approximately $75 million in damages to the Roth family. Efforts to collect upon the Judgment from the Syrian defendants are expected to be initiated shortly.
“Today, lacking all legitimacy and in a desperate fight for its own survival, the Assad regime in Syria continues its sponsorship of terrorism and has turned on its own people. Human rights investigators report that Syria has murdered hundreds of thousands of Syrian civilians since the Assad regime began to implode years ago,” said Richard D. Heideman.
Arnold Roth, Malki’s father, said “We are grateful that the law gives us a way to publicly and meaningfully express outrage at those who give the terrorists the means to do their evil. The sponsors of terror can and must be held legally accountable. “
Heideman further added “Syria has used chemical weapons on their own people and their neighbors in the region. As a state sponsor of terror subject to the jurisdiction of the US courts, Syria deserves to be singled out for their sponsorship of heinous acts of murder. They must be punished. The victims of their terrorist acts deserve justice. This judgment is an important statement of the US District Court intended to punish Syria for its past acts and serve as a deterrent against future Syrian terrorism. We trust that the Court’s decision will provide some measure of justice for the victims of terrorism who lost life, limbs and loved ones.”
Press contacts:
Richard D. Heideman, Esq., Noel J. Nudelman, Esq. and Tracy R. Kalik, Esq. Heideman Nudelman Kalik, PC, 202.463-1818; Email: rdheideman@hnklaw.com or attorneys@hnklaw.com