Beirut Bombing Victims Seek Continued Bipartisan Support to Hold Iran Responsible

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A bipartisan bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, H.R. 4070, will strengthen America's ability to hold Iran responsible for the 1983 Beirut bombing in which Iranian agents killed 241 American servicemen in a suicide bombing.

More than 1300 survivors and families of those killed in the bombing have asked Congress to add to Iran sanctions legislation provisions that will further prevent Iran from using legal technicalities to dodge court-ordered payments to American victims of terrorism. H.R. 4070, proposed by Rep. Bob Turner (R-NY-9) and supported by Congressmen of both parties, does that and aids the families in their quest for justice. The bill is similar to S 2101, approved unanimously by the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs earlier this month.

Both bills extend sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran by clarifying prohibitions that keep it from playing financial shell games with attached Iranian assets that could be used to pay a $2,656,944,877 judgment Judge Royce Lamberth of the United States District Court of the District of Columbia awarded the group in 2007. Without this legislation, an order freezing $1.8 billion of Bank Markazi funds held in a New York bank that could be used to pay part of the group's judgment could be lifted, possibly enabling Iran to recover the money.

"Members of Congress in both Houses and in both parties are showing courage and fortitude in supporting this legislation. For too long, Iran has literally gotten away with murder. Forcing Iran to pay judgments to American victims of its terrorism is especially critical at this time. We thank those in Congress who see and understand that, and we urge the Obama Administration to demon similar wisdom," said Lynn Smith Derbyshire, spokesperson for the survivors and families and whose brother, Marine Captain Vince Smith died in the bombing.

Ms. Derbyshire says her group is aware that there is some private sector opposition to the bipartisan efforts to punish Iran financially as well as reluctance by the Obama Administration to support the legislation.

"These bills specify sanctions against Iran's Central Bank, which is known to finance terrorism as well as Iran's nuclear program. Families and survivors in my group fail to understand how other Americans can muster any opposition to what we are trying to do. The Government of Iran will continue to do everything it can to hurt Americans. We see no reason to enable Tehran's campaign of terror. Allowing the Iranian Government to get this frozen money back would do just that," Ms. Derbyshire said.

For the past week, Ms. Derbyshire has been asking her group to write and call House Members, urging them to co-sponsor and support H.R. 4070. The bill is pending in the House Foreign Affairs, Financial Services and Judiciary Committees.

This release is distributed by Saylor Company Public Relations Counsel under the direction and authority of Thomas Fay, Esq., legal counsel for the group mentioned in the release.

SOURCE Saylor Company Public Relations Counsel under the authority and direction of Thomas Fay, Esq.