DATE=3/11/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-227966
TITLE=U-S IRAN/LAWSUIT (L ONLY)
BYLINE=JIM MALONE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  A FEDERAL JUDGE IN WASHINGTON HAS ORDERED IRAN TO PAY 
247-MILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGES TO THE FAMILY OF AN AMERICAN WOMAN
KILLED IN A TERRORIST ATTACK ON AN ISRAELI BUS THREE YEARS AGO.  
V-O-A NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT JIM MALONE HAS DETAILS.  

TEXT:  U-S DISTRICT COURT JUDGE ROYCE LAMBERTH IS ORDERING IRAN 
TO PAY 247-MILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGES TO THE FAMILY OF ALISA 
(AH-LEE'-SA) FLATOW (FLAY'-TOW).  MS. FLATOW WAS A 20-YEAR OLD 
STUDENT FROM NEW JERSEY ATTENDING A SEMINARY IN JERUSALEM.  SHE 
WAS KILLED ON APRIL 9TH, 1995, WHEN A SUICIDE BOMBER DROVE A VAN 
INTO A BUS IN THE PALESTINIAN-CONTROLLED GAZA STRIP.  SEVEN 
ISRAELI SOLDIERS ALSO DIED IN THE ATTACK. 

THE FLATOW FAMILY SUED IRAN UNDER THE U-S ANTI-TERRORISM STATUTE 
PASSED BY CONGRESS AND SIGNED INTO LAW BY PRESIDENT CLINTON IN 
1996.  THE SUIT FILED BY THE FLATOW FAMILY ALLEGED THAT IRAN 
SUPPORTED ISLAMIC JIHAD, WHICH CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE 
BOMBING.  

JUDGE LAMBERTH CONDEMNED THE TERRORIST ATTACK, SAYING IT HAS  NO 
PLACE IN A CIVILIZED SOCIETY. 

ALISA FLATOW'S FATHER, STEVEN FLATOW, SPOKE TO REPORTERS ABOUT 
THE COURT DECISION OUTSIDE THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE IN WASHINGTON. 

                       /// FLATOW ACT. ///

         THE LUNATICS WHO PLANTED THE BOMB AND DROVE THE VAN THAT
         KILLED ALISA (AH-LEE'-SA) WERE  NOT  ACTING ALONE.  WE 
         HEARD THE JUDGE DETERMINE TODAY THAT THE ISLAMIC 
         REPUBLIC OF IRAN WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUPPORTING THE 
         TERRORIST GROUP, THE ISLAMIC JIHAD, THAT TOOK ALISA'S 
         LIFE IN 1995.  THESE PEOPLE ARE  NOT  HEROES.  THEY ARE 
         NOT  MARTYRS.  THEY ARE TRAITORS TO THE HUMAN RACE, AND 
         A STATE SPONSOR OF TERRORISM SUCH AS THE ISLAMIC 
         REPUBLIC OF IRAN HAS TO BE HELD TO ACCOUNT. 

                        /// END ACT. ///

THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAN HAS REPEATEDLY DENIED ALLEGATIONS THAT IT 
SPONSORS TERRORIST GROUPS.  THERE WAS  NO  RESPONSE TO A V-O-A 
REQUEST FOR COMMENT ON THE COURT DECISION FROM THE IRANIAN 
MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS IN NEW YORK.  

LAWYERS FOR THE FLATOW FAMILY SAY THE COURT RULING COULD SET AN 
IMPORTANT PRECEDENT OF HOLDING NATIONS ACCOUNTABLE FOR SPONSORING
ACTS OF TERRORISM.  U-S SENATOR FRANK LAUTENBERG (DEMOCRAT-NEW 
JERSEY) WAS ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF THE 1996 ANTI-TERRORISM BILL, 
WHICH NOW ALLOWS AMERICANS TO SUE FOR ALLEGED ACTS OF 
STATE-SPONSORED TERRORISM.  

                     /// LAUTENBERG ACT. ///

         THERE ARE OTHER THINGS HAPPENING HERE THAT FRANKLY, I 
         THINK, DWARF THE SETTLEMENT.  AND THAT IS THAT  NO  
         NATION,  NO  NATION CAN PICK ON AMERICAN CITIZENS AT 
         THEIR DIRECTION, AT THE COUNTRY'S DIRECTION, WITHOUT OUR
         COUNTRY RESPONDING IN SOME LAWFUL BUT DIRECT WAY.

                        /// END ACT. ///

LAWYERS FOR THE FLATOW FAMILY SAY THEY WILL VIGOROUSLY PURSUE THE
COLLECTION OF THE 247-MILLION DOLLARS FROM IRAN.  BUT THEY 
DECLINED TO DISCUSS WITH REPORTERS HOW THEY WILL GO ABOUT 
COLLECTING THE MONEY. (SIGNED) 

NEB/JBM  /MMK

11-Mar-98 1:47 PM EST (1847 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.