The Palestinian Authority and Palestinian Liberation Organization will be going on trial this week at a Manhattan federal court. The civil suit accuses them of carrying out terrorist acts in Israel.
The trial, which is expected to last up to 12 weeks, will concentrate on multiple shooting and bombing attacks in Jerusalem from 2001 to 2004. The suit, which is over 10 years old, was filed by more than 40 American victims and relatives who suffered in the attacks, which wounded hundreds and killed 33.
The suit was filed based on the Antiterrorism Act of 1990, a law that allows American victims of international terrorism to file a suit in federal court, accuses the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian Liberation Organization, the governing and political representative of Palestinians, of planning the attacks.
The plaintiffs are looking to claim $1 billion in damages. If both Palestinian groups lose, such damages would be tripled, since such claims made were terrorist acts.
Both Palestinian groups attempted to squash the suit, saying U.S. courts have no jurisdiction over them.
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