Arab Bank calls for retrial in US terror case

A multi-national Arab Bank has asked for a retrial in a US terror case because it was based on a “series of incorrect and prejudicial rulings”.

The case saw 300 US victims of 24 attacks carried out in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank between 2001 and 2004 hold the bank liable for supporting terrorism by transferring funds to Hamas.

A US federal court in Brooklyn ruled against the bank based on evidence related to the attacks and thousands of transfers processed for hundreds of entities over a 10-year-period, the court filing said.

The defence for the bank argued there was no evidence the Arab Bank executives supported terrorism and rejected the allegation that the institution knowingly made payments to designated terrorists.

But the plaintiffs said the bank transferred more than $70 million to Hamas and Islamic Jihad through a Saudi Charity.

The Arab Bank Group has more than 600 branches in 30 countries and a shareholders’ equity base of $7.8 billion.

Information from the Palestinian daily Al-Quds and AFP