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Last update - 22:31 01/10/2008
Federal judge upholds right of U.S. terror victims in Israel to sue PLO
By The Associated Press
Tags: terror, PLO, Israel News

The Palestine Liberation Organization cannot win dismissal of a lawsuit by victims of bombings in Israel by claiming the attacks were acts of war rather than terrorism, an American judge ruled Tuesday.

District Judge George Daniels said the 2004 lawsuit on behalf of victims and their families can proceed toward trial. It seeks up to $3 billion in damages from attacks between January 2001 and February 2004.

The lawsuit alleges that the PLO carried out the attacks to pressure the United States and Israel to submit to its demands and to terrorize, intimidate and coerce the civilian population of Israel into acquiescing to its political goals.
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Daniels rejected the PLO's argument that two machine-gun attacks and five bombings were acts of war. The Jerusalem-area incidents killed 33 people and wounded hundreds, including scores of U.S. citizens.

Daniels said the attacks targeted public places - not military or government personnel or interests. Two bombings were on downtown streets; others occurred at a crowded bus stop, a cafeteria at the Hebrew University and a passenger-filled civilian bus.

"The use of bombs in these circumstances indicates an intent to cause far-reaching devastation upon the masses," the Manhattan judge said," with a merciless capability of indiscriminately killing and maiming untold numbers in heavily populated civilian areas.

"Such attacks upon non-combative civilians, who were allegedly simply going about their everyday lives, do not constitute acts of war," he said.

Daniels also said the violence meets the legal definition of international terrorism.

The judge also rejected arguments that the PLO was entitled to sovereign immunity or that the lawsuit must be brought in Israel rather than the United States. It was brought under the Antiterrorism Act of 1991, which provides U.S. residents, their survivors and heirs civil remedies in U.S. courts if they are injured by international terrorism.

Lawyers on both sides did not immediately return telephone messages for comment.

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      1.   One day 21:48  |  Ismail 30/09/08
      2.   Blood From A Stone 00:35  |  Mark of Lewiston 01/10/08
      3.   good luck getting anything from palestinian murderers!why even 05:44  |  glenna 01/10/08
      4.   Can Palestinian victims of Israeli state terrorism sue U.S.? 06:25  |  peacelover 01/10/08
      5.   There is no international definition of Terrorism. 06:43  |  Kris Lazar 01/10/08
      6.   the palestinians try and make themself`s victims;they want to 07:05  |  glenna 01/10/08
      7.   Yes peace lover 07:49  |  x-ray 01/10/08
      8.   Best of the luck to the plaintiffs 08:08  |  Gina 01/10/08
      9.   Kris Lazar I believe that the judge in the article 10:55  |  x-ray 01/10/08
      10.   Likewise Palestinian victims of Israeli terror should get to sue 12:20  |  Ivar 01/10/08
      11.   Corrie came into Israel illegally 13:22  |  x-ray 01/10/08
      12.   #3 Peacelover....sue for what? 15:07  |  Lynn 01/10/08
      13.   #4 Kris of Austria 15:11  |  Lynn 01/10/08
      14.   #9 Ivar...Corrie`s family has already tried 15:13  |  Lynn 01/10/08
      15.   What US citizens has Israel targeted 15:34  |  jackie 01/10/08
      16.   Ivar, if a US citizen decides to enter a war zone 16:14  |  MaryRose 01/10/08
      17.   Wrong Kris, it is the terrorist states 16:18  |  MaryRose 01/10/08
      18.   #10, Ivar, quite correct... 17:48  |  Silvienne 01/10/08
      19.   #14, Lynn...yet again! 17:52  |  Silvienne 01/10/08
      20.   #15, Jackie, as you don`t know, I`ll tell you... 17:56  |  Silvienne 01/10/08
      21.   Good, Let the Arab Reparations to Israel Begin 18:04  |  Baruch Gold 01/10/08
      22.   peacelover -- No 18:26  |  Gina 01/10/08
      23.   Jews can sue but US soldiers cannot sue for torture 18:36  |  mike 01/10/08
      24.   #19 Baruch Gold 18:43  |  mike 01/10/08
      25.   Ismail # 1 21:23  |  Philippe 01/10/08
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