US court revives lawsuit against Pfizer, others on Iraq terrorism funding claims
#1
A US appeals court on Tuesday revived a lawsuit against Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and other companies over allegations their contracts with Iraq's health ministry helped fund terrorism that killed Americans during the war in Iraq.

The plaintiffs contend that the terrorist group Jaysh al-Mahdi, sponsored by Hezbollah, controlled Iraq's health ministry and that the 21 defendant US and European medical supply and manufacturing companies made corrupt payments to obtain medical-supply contracts.

The companies have denied any wrongdoing. Representatives from the five corporate groups - AstraZeneca, GE Healthcare USA Holding, Johnson & Johnson Pfizer and Hoffmann-La Roche Inc did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The lawsuit revived by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit was brought by family members of victims of attacks in Iraq by the Mahdi group. A federal trial judge dismissed the lawsuit in 2020.

Lawyer Kannon Shanmugam, who argued the appeal on behalf of the companies, did not immediately comment.

The lawyer for the family members, Joshua Branson, also did not immediately comment.

Lawyers for the companies told the appeals court that they provided the Iraqi government "life-saving breast cancer treatments, hemophilia injections, ultrasounds, electrocardiogram machines, and other medical goods" after the US-led invasion of Iraq toppled strongman president Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Shanmugam said in court in September that a ruling against the companies "would have a severe chilling effect on the willingness of companies and non-governmental organizations to conduct essential activities, often at the government's request, in troubled regions."



https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/us-court...ng-2689310
Reply


Possibly Related Threads…
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Swedish prosecutor’s office confirms act of sabotage against Nord Stream Resurgence 0 5,957 Nov 18, 2022, 14:31 pm
Last Post: Resurgence
  Ukrainian Nazi POW testifies about war crimes against civilians Resurgence 0 5,855 Nov 16, 2022, 14:22 pm
Last Post: Resurgence
  Protesters rally against soaring prices & arms deliveries to Ukraine in Germany Resurgence 0 5,617 Nov 16, 2022, 14:03 pm
Last Post: Resurgence
  French Court rules that refusing to disclose a mobile passcode is a criminal offence Resurgence 0 5,402 Nov 11, 2022, 13:49 pm
Last Post: Resurgence
  Brazil: Crimes against humanity occurring in the Amazon Resurgence 0 5,203 Nov 10, 2022, 14:11 pm
Last Post: Resurgence



Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)