BIN LADEN SUED - By victim's widow

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Current News - Homefront Preparations : One Thread

Ananova :

Wife of man killed in terror attacks sues bin Laden

Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban are being sued by the pregnant wife of a man killed in the World Trade Centre attacks.

She is seeking damages that include the loss of her husband's income in what is believed to be the first civil case of its kind.

The damages are also for emotional pain she and her children are suffering.

Her lawyer James Beasley believes damages could be paid from assets frozen by the US government, reports BBC Online.

The suit filed in Manhattan federal court seeks unspecified damages, but Mr Beasley says a jury could award hundreds of millions of dollars.

The woman, who is pregnant with the couple's fourth child, watched the World Trade Centre attack on television.

Her husband was able to reach the roof with another worker. The colleague called his own wife on his mobile phone and told her they were waiting to be rescued by helicopter. The tower collapsed soon afterwards.

Mr Beasley says the plaintiff watched the scenes knowing her husband had been on the roof. "I can't think of a more devastating picture to watch. She watched her life disappear with the destruction of the tower . . . the grief is overwhelming," he said.

The plaintiff is identified in the suit as Jane Doe, but her real name is being kept secret from fear of retaliation, adds Mr Beasley.

The suit was filed one month after two hijacked planes were flown into the Twin Towers. It also names the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and bin Laden's al-Qaida network as defendants.

Story filed: 09:10 Friday 12th October 2001

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2001


Moderation questions? read the FAQ