WASHINGTON // The US Supreme Court agreed on Tuesday to decide whether victims of a 1997 bombing in Jerusalem can seize Iranian artefacts in US museums as compensation for a US$71 million judgement against the Iranian government.
The justices agreed to hear the appeal of a ruling last year in favour of Iran by the Chicago-based 7th US Circuit Court.
The long-running Chicago lawsuit arose from a 1997 attack in which three members of Hamas blew themselves up in Jerusalem, killing five people. Eight US citizens were injured.
They and some of their relatives, including lead plaintiff Jenny Rubin, sued Iran in a US court for its alleged role and obtained a $71.5 million judgment that they then sought to collect on.
The plaintiffs are targeting three collections of ancient Persian artefacts including prehistoric pottery, ornaments and precious tablets with Elamite writing held by Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History and the University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute. The museums have said they own the artefacts, but the plaintiffs maintain that Iran is the owner. Iran has previously sought the return of some of the items.
The decision means “no Iranian regime assets should be immune from seizure to satisfy the more than $50 billion in outstanding judgments against the Iranian government for its support for terrorism,” said Mark Dubowitz, who heads the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy think tank’s Centre on Sanctions and Illicit Finance.
The court’s ruling is also likely to dictate the outcome of a similar dispute pending before the justices in which four different groups of plaintiffs representing those injured in other allegedly Iran-backed attacks are seeking to enforcement court judgments by seizing $17.6 million in assets held by Iranian government-owned Bank Melli.
The Supreme Court made the ruling before adjourning on a three months recess.
*With reporting from Reuters
