U.S.: Terror victims can seize Iranian money, Supreme Court rules

Victims of terrorist attacks backed by Iran can collect nearly $2 billion in Iranian funds, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.

The court ruled 6-2 that Congress had not exceeded its authority when it passed a law aimed at securing such restitution from funds held in a New York bank.

The ruling ends a long quest by more than 1,000 victims of terrorist attacks sponsored by Iran, including family members of 241 U.S. Marines killed in the 1983 barracks bombing in Lebanon. The attack was blamed on Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite militia backed by Iran.

The victims earlier won the right to collect damages from Iran, but because the country's government refused to pay, the court was asked to seize assets from Bank Markazi in New York frozen by the U.S. government. The families then persuaded Congress to pass a law allowing them to seize Iran's money...
 [upi.com]
20/4/16