U.S. judge rules PLO attacks on Americans were 'international terrorism'
WASHINGTON — A U.S. federal court has rejected an attempt by the
Palestine Liberation Organization to dismiss a lawsuit by victims of its
attacks in Israel as acts of war.
U.S. District Judge George Daniels ruled that victims of insurgency
attacks in Israel could proceed with their suit against the PLO.
Instead, Daniels, in a Sept. 30 ruling in New York, said the PLO attacks
from January 2001 and February 2004 constituted "international terrorism."
The judge also rejected the PLO's claim that it was entitled to sovereign
immunity.
"[These attacks] upon non-combative civilians, who were allegedly simply
going about their everyday lives, do not constitute acts of war," Daniels
said.
The lawsuit, filed in 2004 under the Antiterrorism Act of 1991, has
sought up to $3 billion in damages from the PLO. The attacks, claimed by the
Fatah wing of the PLO, killed 33 people, including Americans, and targeted
bus stops and a university cafeteria around Jerusalem.
The plaintiffs argued that the PLO attacks represented an effort by the
organization to force Israel and the United States to capitulate to
Palestinian demands. The attacks were said to have taken place during a
Palestinian offensive ordered by then-Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser
Arafat, who also headed the PLO.
"[This marked a] merciless capability of indiscriminately killing and
maiming untold numbers in heavily populated civilian areas," the judge said.
