US Decides Not To Intervene In PLO Terrorist Verdicts

You'll recall that I reported on an outrageous attempt by the Palestinians to get Condi Rice and the US State Department to intervene so the PLO could avoid paying judgements mandated by US courts for victims of their murderous terrorism.

At the time, I requested that you contact the White House and your congressmen an dlet them know how you felt about the idea of the US State Department co-opting American justice for th esake of the Palestinian Authority against its own citizens.

You and a number of others did so, and it had an effect; The Bush Administration is staying out of the PLO terrorism suits..at least for now:

The Bush administration on Friday declined to interfere in the case of American terror victims who are suing the Palestine Liberations Organization.

A judge in one of the multi-million dollar suits had asked the administration whether it wanted to weigh in on the cases, which the PLO has argued contradict American policy which is currently providing money to the cash-strapped Palestinians in an effort to bolster the population.

(Except remember...they're not exactly 'cash strapped'

On Friday, US attorneys told the court the United States government would not be participating in this case, but held out the possibility that it might join in other similar suits.

"The United States supports just compensation for victims of terrorism from those responsible for their losses and has encouraged all parties to resolve these cases to their mutual benefit," the lawyers wrote. "At the same time, the United States remains concerned about the potentially significant impact that these cases may have on the financial and political viability of the defendants."

State Department Spokesman Tom Casey said Friday afternoon that Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salaam Fayad "have acknowledged that these individuals deserve compensation" and would like to "see some mechanism found to provide fair and just compensation to these individuals." Casey suggested the parties might be able to find "an equitable settlement" as has been arrived at in other terror-related cases.

David Strachman, a lawyer representing several of the bereaved family members, welcomed the administration's decision.

"We are grateful that at this time the US government has decided to support justice over terror and that it will not now enter the case to support the terrorists," he said in a statement. "On behalf of the families who have suffered so much, we will do everything we can to ensure that justice will prevail."

Leslye Knox, Strachman's client, also expressed relief at the decision. She and her family members have been awarded $192 million in damages from the PLO following a terror attack in Hadera which killed her husband, Aharon Ellis, leaving her a single mother with six children. It was her judgment on which the Bush administration was asked to take a position.

Following the decision, she said, "I am glad that the government will not interfere at this stage and am hopeful that it will refrain from supporting the legal position of the terrorists-defendants in the future."

Sometimes we win one.

By the way, here once again is the contact information for Mark Rochon, the lawyer representing the Palestinians and his law firm, Miller & Chevalier:

inquiries@milchev.com <inquiries@milchev.com>


655 Fifteenth Street, N.W.
Suite 900
Washington, DC 20005-5701

Phone: 202-626-5800

Fax: 202-626-5801

Members of Joshua's Army are cordially invited to let these scum know what you think of them representing a bunch of terrorist murderers against their own countrymen and trying to defraud widows and orphans out of their lawful compensation. Just keep it civil.