U.S. Starts Implementation of Payment to Terrorist Victims and Iran Approves Lawsuits against U.S.

On October 27, 2000, the U.S. Department of Treasury issued a notice announcing that the Treasury Department will prescribe procedures for making payments to persons who hold certain categories of judgments against Cuba or Iran. The U.S. initiative is sparking a similar response from at least one of the targeted countries and will likely set a stage for more of the same from other countries. Under Section 2002 of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (VTVPA), the Secretary of the Treasury is directed to make payments to persons who hold certain categories of judgments against Cuba or Iran in suits brought under 28 U.S.C. §1605(a)(7). The notice advises that, promptly after enactment, the Treasury Department will publish a notice in the Federal Register advising claimants what information must be provided in order to qualify for a payment under Sec. 2002...[more]