NEW YORK – American victims of terror attacks in the Middle East want a Jordan-based bank to pay a price as well.
A lawsuit filed in federal court in New York City in 2004 accused Arab Bank of helping Hamas finance a benefit plan for families of suicide bombers. The case is set to go to trial Thursday.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs call it the first terrorism financing case to go to trial in the United States and say it could result in millions of dollars in damages. Arab Bank denies it's responsible for harming anyone. It has hundreds of branches around the world.
The suit was filed under the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Act, which allows victims of U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organizations to seek compensation. Hamas was designated a terrorist group in 1997.
