NYC Lawsuit claims Lebanese banks helped enable Hezbollah to kill civilians
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NEW YORK: Dozens of Israeli victims of terrorist attacks in Israel have filed a lawsuit blaming some Lebanese banks for aiding Hezbollah and abetting its ability to kill civilians.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan on Thursday, seeks at least $100 million in damages on behalf of 57 victims. It notes that the Lebanese banks maintained relationships with various U.S. banks.
It said the Lebanese banks used those and other relationships to provide Hezbollah with "regular, systemic and unfettered access to U.S. currency," enabling it to buy missiles and other weapons to terrorize civilians.
The banks were identified as Fransabank Sal, Banque Libanese Pour Le Commerce, Bank of Beirut Sal, Banque Libano-Francaise Sal and the Middle East Africa Bank.
The banks did not immediately reply to the lawsuit in court, and it was not clear who might represent them there. An e-mail sent to Banque Libano-Francaise Sal on Monday was not immediately returned.
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The lawsuit said the plaintiffs were victims of missile attacks launched by Hezbollah against civilian targets in Israel between July 12, 2006, and Aug. 30, 2006.
It said it based its conclusions on an analysis of publicly available U.S., Israeli and United Nations reports, news articles, academic journals, public policy center publications and police and medical reports.
The lawsuit said a decision by Hezbollah to bombard Israeli civilians with missiles fired from southern Lebanon in the summer of 2006 came even though Hezbollah knew it would result in the killing of Israeli civilians.
The lawsuit said the banks violated international law by providing financial services to Hezbollah, including its military fundraising arm, the Islamic Resistance Support Organization.
The lawsuit said a fundraising form of the organization asks donors whether they wish to fund specific items such as missiles or small arms.
It included as defendants John Does 1-100, which it said represented banks or financial institutions that conspired with or aided the banks and Hezbollah but have not been identified.
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