Judge approves 9/11 Settlements

From the Wall Street Journal comes this:

This just in: A federal judge in New York has approved settlements in 92 of the 95 cases filed on behalf of those injured or killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The total amount paid was close to $500 million, according to the mediator in the case, Sheila Birnbaum, of Skadden, Arps. Click here for the early AP story; here for a copy of Judge Alvin Hellerstein’s order, which attaches Birnbaum’s report.

The lawsuits were brought by those who chose not to participate in the Victim’s Compensation Fund, a special fund Congress established that distributed more than $7 billion to more than 5,000 survivors.

Trial dates for the remaining three cases have not been set.

The order contains some remarkably glowing words for Birnbaum, a well-known mass-tort and product-liability lawyer, who just might think of framing the page from the West Reporter that ends up running the decision. ...

I am of the opinion that no amount of money should be expected to compensate for the trauma of that day for some people. It seems that others agree with me. In the comments, the debate continues. Go read the rest of this article, AND the comments, here.

In other related news:

Terrorist convicted of '73 NYC bombings deported to Sudan

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

BY ADAM GOLDMAN AND RANDY HERSCHAFT

NorthJersey.com

ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK — A Black September terrorist convicted of placing three powerful car bombs in New York City in 1973 has been sent to Sudan after completing his sentence and being deported by the U.S. government.

Khalid Al-Jawary, 63, was flown out of Denver International Airport on Thursday and arrived Tuesday in Khartoum, said Carl Rusnok, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman.

Details of his deportation were released to The Associated Press after Al-Jawary's federal escorts had safely left the volatile country that has been a haven for terrorists such as Osama bin Laden.

Al-Jawary ended up in Sudan after Algeria initially agreed to accept him but then reversed course, setting off a scramble to find a country that would take the aging terrorist. It's unclear why Algeria ultimately decided against taking Al-Jawary.

Al-Jawary wanted to be deported to Jordan, where his family lives, but the country apparently would not allow him entry. Federal officials said he had dual citizenship with Jordan and Iraq.

Al-Jawary was released last week and placed in immigration officials' custody after serving about half of his 30-year sentence.

He was convicted in 1993 of planting the New York City bombs, which failed to detonate. His deportation came 36 years to the day after he placed bombs in two cars on Fifth Avenue and a third at JFK Airport timed to coincide with the arrival of Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir....

Interesting twists and turn to this story, and you can read the rest here.