Anti-Terrorism Litigation

Seiden Law brings its sophisticated litigation practice to the anti-terrorism litigation domain fighting for victims and their families of terrorist atrocities. Seiden Law was the first to file a ground-breaking lawsuit in US federal court in Manhattan on behalf of victims of the October 7th Hamas attack in Israel. The case, Raanan v. Binance, Iran, Syria, is the first time a anti-terrorism lawsuit has targeted a crypto currency exchange for facilitating financial assistance for terrorists resulting in murders of innocent US citizens or their American families. Relying on the powerful terrorism exception to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) and the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), Seiden Law is taking terrorism litigation to a whole new level to benefit victims and impact the material supporters of terrorism.

The Anti-Terrorism Act

Another approach available to victims of the October 7 attacks is the Anti-Terrorism Act, which allows victims to bring claims against foreign terrorist organizations, including Hamas and the individuals and entities that provided the resources needed to plan and execute the October 7 attacks.

The Terrorism Exception: 28 U.S. Code § 1605A

The Terrorism Exception of the U.S. Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (28 U.S. Code § 1605A) is an important avenue for pursuing legal action. This law allows U.S. Nationals, Armed Forces members, and U.S. government employees to bring lawsuits against foreign states designated as sponsors of terrorism. Families of victims and survivors may also be eligible to file suits.

Under the law, a foreign state can be held accountable for personal injury or death caused by torture, hostage-taking, or providing material support for such acts.

The United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund (USVSST)

The USVSST compensates individuals who have judgments arising under the terrorism exception to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, as discussed above.  The fund was established to address challenges victims encountered in trying to enforce their judgments.

If you would like to discuss your claim, please call us at (212) 523-0669 or contact us online. We’re here to help clients in whatever way we can during these difficult times.