In July 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld a ruling holding Sudan liable for the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The court ordered Sudan to pay $2.1 billion in damages to the American families of the victims. Judge Douglas Ginsburg largely affirmed the lower court’s ruling, despite Sudan’s denial of any responsibility for the al Qaeda attacks.
Osama bin Laden, the now-deceased leader of al Qaeda, resided in 
Sudan until the government forced him to leave in 1996. However, according to the testimony of expert witnesses before the court, Sudan still provided funding for al Qaeda. This terrorist organization, in turn, carried out the 1998 bombings that killed 200 people, 12 of whom were American citizens. Sudan has been designated a state sponsor of terror by the U.S. State Department.
These embassy bombing victims have been represented by the Miller Firm since 2008. In regard to this recent ruling by the Appeals Court, Michael J. Miller states, “This important decision by the Circuit Court of Appeals furthers the fight against terrorism by giving victims a voice and a means to confront those who support terrorism.”
Both the American families and the Sudanese government have retained lobbying firms during these proceedings, which began in 2001. Frank Donatelli of McGuire Woods, which also works on behalf of the victims, expressed that for Sudan, paying these reparations would likely have a positive impact on the country’s diplomatic relations with the U.S. and possibly “pave the way for lifting sanctions” on the country, according to The Hill (thehill.com).
The Federal Appeals Court has asked the D.C. Court of Appeals if families of non-American terror victims are eligible for compensation as well. These provisions fall under state, not federal, laws. The Appeals Court also dismissed $4.3 billion in punitive damages, which Sudan was originally ordered to pay. The Miller Firm has petitioned the court to reconsider this decision.
The Miller Firm will continue to seek justice for victims of international terrorism and is currently bringing cases against Saudi Arabia on behalf of victims of the 9/11 bombings. In 2016, The Miller Firm filed a lawsuit in Washington D.C. representing these victims, under the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Bill (JASTA). In 2017, The Miller Firm partnered with The Rothenberg Law to launch a website dedicated to empowering 9/11 victims to pursue legal justice and monetary compensation.
The Miller Firm is presently accepting clients who were injured or families who experienced terrible loss on September 11, 2011. Please call 1-800-882-2525 and ask to speak to attorneys David Dickens, Michael Miller or Nancy Miller. Or, they can be reached as well at [email protected] or [email protected].