Jurors Find Arab Bank Liable in New York Terrorism Funding Trial

NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 300 U.S. citizens who were victimized in 24 terrorist attacks in Israel and the Palestinian Territories have prevailed in a civil lawsuit against Amman, Jordan-based Arab Bank PLC after a New York federal jury found that the bank knowingly provided material financial support to the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

The plaintiff victims were represented by a team of attorneys led by Mark Werbner of Dallas' Sayles Werbner; Gary M. Osen of New York's Osen LLC; C. Tab Turner of Arkansas' Turner & Associates; and Michael E. Elsner of South Carolina-based Motley Rice.

Judge Brian Cogan of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York presided over the trial that began on Aug. 11. The jury of eight women and three men delivered the verdict on Sept. 22, 2014, following two days of deliberations in Judge Cogan's Brooklyn federal courtroom.

The victims' attorneys will seek monetary damages in the trial's next phase, and further liability findings for victims of other attacks perpetrated by Palestinian terrorist groups. The lead case, which was filed in 2004 under the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Act, is Linde, et al. v. Arab Bank PLC, No. 1:04-CV-02799.

"This is a historic decision that will be forever remembered based on the jurors' significant findings. Today's verdict sends a clear message to banks and others around the world that supporting terrorism will not be tolerated by U.S. juries," says Mr. Werbner. "Our clients are grateful to the jury for carefully considering the facts in this complicated case before delivering what we know was the right decision."

Jurors in the case heard evidence of how Arab Bank facilitated the payment of millions of dollars to known terrorists and their families in 24 separate attacks carried out by Hamas in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza from 2001 to 2004. The victims' attorneys presented evidence that Arab Bank funneled tens of millions of dollars to Hamas leaders, operatives, front organizations, and to the families of suicide bombers and other terrorists.  The jury rejected Arab Bank's contention that the bank complied with anti-terrorism laws.

Sayles Werbner has an international reputation as a "go to" trial law firm in multifaceted business litigation,intellectual property, patent litigation, life-altering personal injury cases, product safety lawsuits and other areas of the law. More information about the firm can be found at http://www.swtriallaw.com.

For more information on the Arab Bank verdict, please contact Bruce Vincent at 800-559-4534 or [email protected].

SOURCE Sayles Werbner