Another Terrorism Case Is Dismissed Against Saleh Kamel and His Dallah Al Baraka Investment Group
By Victor Comras
The Arab News is touting a decision by US District Court (SDNY) Judge Richard Conway Casey dismissing a series of consolidated insurance company lawsuits against Saleh Kamel and his Dallah Al Barakat Group (not to be confused with the Al Barakaat group of companies designated by OFAC as a terrorism financing institution). This follows on Judge Casey's dismissal last year of lawsuits against Saleh Kamel and Al Barakat brought by the families of the 9/11 victims. At that time Judge Casey found no basis for holding Kamel or his investment company liable despite allegations that he had invested in, and was otherwise associated with banks and other financial institutions that had channeled funds to the terrorists. Kamel was one of the names prominently listed in the so-called Golden Chain, which purported to be a list of potential al Qaeda financiers. Judge Casey reportedly issued a five page memorandum explaining his ruling and that ruling will be linked here when it becomes available.
It will be interesting to compare the rationale for Judge Casey's latest ruling with the rulings in the recent Nat-west and Credit Lyonnais cases, and the decision in the Boim Case -- all of which maintained that banks and other financial institutions that knowingly provided financial services for the the benefit of terrorist organizations may be held liable. Some 16 different lawsuits have been filed against Kamel, but his attorney, Martin McMahon believes this ruling will lead to all of them ultimately being dismissed against his client.