Iran central bank takes Beirut bombing case to US Supreme Court
None
WASHINGTON - The Republican-led Congress and President Barack Obama's administration, often at odds over Iran policy, are urging the US Supreme Court to let the families of Americans killed in the 1983 bombing of a US Marine Corps barracks in Beirut and other attacks collect nearly $2 billion in frozen Iranian funds.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday will hear arguments in an appeal by the Iranian central bank, Bank Markazi, to reverse a 2014 lower-court ruling that said the money should be handed over to plaintiffs representing hundreds of Americans killed or injured in attacks blamed on Iran. They won a $2.65 billion judgment against Iran in US federal court in 2007.
At issue before the justices is whether Congress violated the separation of powers principle enshrined in the US Constitution by passing a 2012 law that specified the funds held in the trust account go toward paying off the judgment.
Bank Markazi contends the legislative branch of the US government improperly sought to dictate the outcome of a specific case handled by the judiciary branch.
