A US federal court has entered Judgment against the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (collectively “Iran”), ordering Iran, as state sponsors of terrorism, to pay $136 million in compensatory and punitive damages to three families who suffered the murders of their loved ones in prolonged terrorist attacks upon hotels in Kabul, Afghanistan carried out by the Afghan Taliban’s militant terrorist arm, the Haqqani Network, in 2015 and 2018. The estates of the victims, and their families are represented by the Washington, DC law firm Heideman Nudelman & Kalik, PC, and attorney Ron Jenkins of Meridian 361 International Law Group, PLLC. Both firms specialize in civil counter-terror litigation.
Judge Trevor N. McFadden of the US District Court for the District of Columbia awarded the damages to the estates of U.S. citizens Paula L. Kantor, Glenn L Selig and Abdullah Waheed, and members of their families. The Court found that Ms. Kantor died in an attack that occurred on May 13-14, 2015, at the Park Palace Hotel in Kabul, that Mr. Selig and Mr. Waheed died in an attack that occurred on January 20-21, 2018, at the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul and that Iran was liable for the attack due to its material support of the Taliban’s Haqqani Network, which claimed responsibility for both attacks and has long been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US government.
In addition to the compensatory damages awarded to each of the Plaintiffs, the Court awarded punitive damages. “Iran’s acts were heinous,” stated Judge McFadden in his opinion, “Their acts were intended to-and did-cause unconscionable pain and suffering. There is a need for deterrence because, time and again, courts in this district have been confronted with families shattered by Iran-backed terrorists.”
Iran has long been designated by the US State Department as a State Sponsor of Terrorism and therefore does not enjoy sovereign immunity under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. Iran is the worst sponsor of terror in the world.
“The ruling is an important victory for the Americans who lost life and limb as a direct result of the Iranian-sponsored attacks in these Kabul hotels,” said Richard D. Heideman, Senior Counsel of Heideman Nudelman & Kalik PC, “this case shows that terrorism is universally directed at all peoples, and all of us must stand together in stamping out the heinous acts of maiming and murder directed towards the innocent.”
“Iran continues to be the largest state sponsor of terror in the world and as such deserves to be singled out for their sponsorship of these acts of murder,” F.R. Jenkins of the Meridian 361 International Law Group, PLLC, said. “This judgment stands to hold Iran accountable and most importantly provide some measure of justice for these victims.”
About Heideman Nudelman & Kalik PC
The law firm of Heideman Nudelman & Kalik, PC. (www.HNKlaw.com), based in Washington, DC, is a global firm with affiliates in various parts of the world. Richard D. Heideman, Noel J. Nudelman, Tracy R. Kalik and other members, associates and affiliates of the firm have extensive experience in complex litigation. The firm has served as lead counsel in numerous cases on behalf of victims of terror and their family members who have been killed or injured in terrorist attacks throughout the world. The firm has successfully brought cases against Libya, the Syrian Arab Republic, The Islamic Republic of Iran, the PA/PLO, Arab Bank, PLC and others accused of funding or providing material support for terror and continues committed to seeking justice on behalf of Americans who have suffered at the hands of terrorists, their sponsors, supporters and funders.
About Meridian 361 International Law Group, PLLC
Meridian 361 (www.meridian361.com) is a boutique international law firm. Ron Jenkins investigates high profile and complex terror attacks, and designs and executes litigation to bring justice to victims. He has a demonstrable track record of success in litigation involving Iran, Syria, Libya, the Abu Nidal Organization, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaida in Iraq, the Islamic State of Iraq, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, the Taliban, the Haqqani Network and others, and has represented victims in lobbying campaigns, direct negotiations with state sponsors, and numerous victim compensation claims programs.
For further information, contact:
Richard D. Heideman, Senior Counsel, Heideman Nudelman & Kalik, PC
Direct Line: 202 463-8018
Email: rdheideman@hnklaw.com
F. Ronald Jenkins, Esq.
Meridian 361 International Law Group, PLLC
Direct Line: 202-361-4944
Email: Jenkins@meridian361.com