Wultz v. Islamic Republic of Iran

United States District Court, District of Columbia

This action arises out of the April 17, 2006 suicide bombing attack at the Rosh Ha'ir restaurant in Tel Aviv, Israel. The explosion killed eleven people and wounded dozens of others. Among the wounded were two of the plaintiffs in this case: sixteen-year-old Daniel Wultz and his father Yekutiel “Tuly” Wultz. Tragically, Daniel succumbed to his injuries and died on May 14, 2006. Daniel's mother, Sheryl Wultz, and his siblings, Amanda and Abraham Wultz, are also plaintiffs in this action against defendants Islamic Republic of Iran (“Iran”), Iranian Ministry of Information and Security (“MOIS”) (collectively, “Iranian Defendants”), Syrian Arab Republic (“Syria”), Syrian Ministry of Defense, Syrian Military Intelligence, and Syrian Air Force Intelligence Directorate (collectively, “Syrian Defendants”).
This action is brought pursuant to the state-sponsored terrorism exception of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (“FSIA”), 28 U.S.C. §§ 1330, 1602 et seq., which was enacted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (“NDAA”). Pub.L. No. 110–181, § 1083, 122 Stat. 3, 338–44 (2008). That provision, codified at 28 U.S.C. § 1605A, provides “a federal right of action against foreign states.” In Re Islamic Republic of Iran Terrorism Litig., 659 F.Supp.2d 31, 40 (D.D.C.2009). Plaintiffs contend that, by providing financial and logistical support to the terrorist group responsible for the attack, defendants are legally responsible for the severe physical and emotional toll that the restaurant bombing wreaked upon the Wultz family. For the reasons set forth below, the Court finds that plaintiffs have provided sufficient evidence to support their cause of action, and determines that defendants are liable under the FSIA's state-sponsored terrorism exception for a total of $332,068,634 in compensatory and punitive damages.