Canada court upholds $1.7bn ruling against Iran’s terrorism involvement

Al-Arabia – A Canadian Court of Appeal upheld a $1.7 billion judgment against the government of Iran in favor of American victims of terrorism on Tuesday.

The ruling rejected the state’s immunity and accused Tehran of trying to derail Canada’s Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act.

The victims hold Iran accountable for its support of Hamas and Hezbollah during terror campaigns from the 1980s through to 2002.

“The terrorist attacks out of which the respondents’ US judgments arise are repugnant to civilized society. The fact that a foreign government would engage in the sponsorship of such atrocities is chilling,” wrote Justice C. William Hourigan, on behalf of a panel of concurring judges, according to National Post.

“There is nothing offensive about using peaceful legislative means to combat terrorism,” the judgment says. “To the contrary, awarding damages that may have a deterrent effect is a sensible and measured response to the state sponsorship of terrorism and is entirely consistent with Canadian legal morals.”