US court orders Iran to pay $104.7m for 1996 truck bomb attack that killed 19

Federal judge rules 15 US military personnel who survived Khobar Towers bombing and 24 family members are entitled to payout, though it’s unclear how they can collect

By ToI Staff 12 September 2018, 9:42 am

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This June 30,1996 photo, show a general view of the destroyed Khobar Towers and crater where a truck bomb exploded at a US military complex killing 19 Americans and injuring hundreds in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. (AP Photo/Saleh Rifai)

A US federal judge on Monday ordered Iran to pay $104.7 million compensation for a 1996 bomb attack that killed 19 military personnel in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, Reuters reported.

Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps did not defend the charges of their involvement in the bomb attack, which sheared off the front of the Khobar Towers complex.

Chief Judge Beryl Howell ruled that 15 servicemen who survived the attack could claim for assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The families of 24 other military personnel could claim for emotional distress from seeing how the bombing affected their loved ones.

However, it was unclear how the plaintiffs could actually collect the money.

“The plaintiffs are very pleased with the decision, and look forward to pursuing collections,” Paul Gaston, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, told Reuters. “Having the court ruling gives them some measure of justice.”