International Terrorism Litigation

In addition to federal court litigation success, the Crowell & Moring team has extensive experience enforcing judgments and obtaining compensation for victims of state sponsored terrorism through settlements, claims programs, and various legislative initiatives in Congress that create opportunities for our clients to recover funds arising from acts of terror. For example, our team played a substantial role in the drafting, negotiation, and enactment of the Justice for United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act of 2015, which created the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism (“USVSST”) Fund, a fund that awards compensation to victims of state sponsored terrorism that have secured final judgments.  Our team was also recently involved in the diplomatic resolution between the United States and Sudan which led to significant compensation in 2020 to judgment holders in settlement of their claims against Sudan arising from the 1998 attacks on the U.S. Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Previously, Crowell & Moring played a material role in the enactment of the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act of 2000, which led to the payment of millions of dollars to satisfy various compensatory damages judgments against Iran.  And our team has substantial experience handling claims at the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, where we obtained compensation for our clients who were victims of Libyan terrorism pursuant to the negotiated $1.5 billion settlement as part of the Libya Claims Resolution Act.

The team at Crowell & Moring also has experience in representing commercial entities in connection with claims arising from the Anti-Terrorism Act (“ATA”) and Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (“JASTA”), and has leveraged its experience to provide advice and analysis to parties for ATA and JASTA claims.

Terrorism litigation in federal U.S. district and circuit courts involve complex application of various federal statutes, including, e.g., the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, 28 USC. §§ 1602, et seq.; the Torture Victims Protection Act of 1991, 28 USC. § 1350 note; the Export Administration Act of 1979, 50 USC. § 2405(j); the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, 22 USC. § 2371; the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, 28 USC. 1605 § (a)(7); the Alien Tort Claim Act, 28 USC. § 1350; the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act of 2000, Public Law 106-386, the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, 18 USC § 2333, Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, Public Law 114-222, the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949, 22 U.S.C. Section 1623, and others.  Our team has substantial experience litigating under these statutes, and pursuing avenues of monetary redress for damages suffered as the result of international terrorism perpetuated by both State Sponsors of Terrorism (i.e., Iran, North Korea, Syria, Sudan, Cuba, Libya) and foreign terrorist organizations (e.g., ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah).