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Sept. 11 victims cannot seize Afghan central bank assets: US judge
A US judge decided on Tuesday that victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks are not entitled to seize $3.5 billion of assets belonging to Afghanistan’s central bank to satisfy court judgments they obtained against the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), Reuters reported.
US District Judge George Daniels in Manhattan said he was “constitutionally restrained” from finding that the IEA was Afghanistan’s legitimate government, a precursor for attaching assets belonging to Da Afghanistan Bank, or DAB.
Daniels said letting victims seize those assets would amount to a ruling that the IEA are Afghanistan’s legitimate government.
He said US courts lack power to reach that conclusion, noting that Biden administration does not recognize the IEA as Afghanistan’s government, read the report.
“The judgment creditors are entitled to collect on their default judgments and be made whole for the worst terrorist attack in our nation’s history, but they cannot do so with the funds of the central bank of Afghanistan,” Daniels wrote.
“The Taliban [Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan] – not the former Islamic Republic of Afghanistan or the Afghan people – must pay for the IEA’s liability in the 9/11 attacks,” he added.
Daniels’ decision is a defeat for four groups of judgment creditors that claimed some of the $7 billion of DAB funds that had been frozen at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York, Reuters reported.
“This decision deprives over 10,000 members of the 9/11 community of their right to collect compensation from the Taliban [IEA],” said Lee Wolosky, a lawyer for one creditor group known as the Havlish plaintiffs. “We believe it is wrongly decided and will appeal.”
The other creditor groups are also planning an appeal, a separate Tuesday court filing shows, read the report.
In an executive order last February, US President Joe Biden ordered $3.5 billion of the DAB funds set aside to benefit the Afghan people.
Last September, the US Treasury said it would move that money to a Swiss-based trust beyond the IEA’s reach.
NOT THE IEA’S MONEY
The creditor groups had sued many defendants, including al-Qaeda, over the Sept. 11 attacks, and obtained default judgments after the defendants failed to show up in court, Reuters reported.
At the time of the attacks, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) had allowed al-Qaeda to operate within Afghanistan.
The United States ousted the IEA and al-Qaeda in late 2001, but the IEA returned to power in 2021 when Western forces pulled out of the country.
In his 30-page decision, Daniels adopted findings of US Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn, who last August also recommended no recovery for the creditor groups.
Daniels said he lacked jurisdiction over DAB under federal law because the bank was an instrumentality of a foreign government and thus had immunity.
He also said Afghanistan, as opposed to the IEA, neither qualified as a “terrorist party” nor had been designated a state sponsor of terrorism, read the report.
“Neither the Taliban [IEA] nor the judgment creditors are entitled to raid the coffers of the state of Afghanistan to pay the Taliban’s debts,” Daniels wrote.
Other countries recently held about $2 billion of Afghan reserves, Reuters reported.
Nearly 3,000 people died on Sept. 11, 2001, when planes were flown into New York’s World Trade Center, the Pentagon in northern Virginia, and a Pennsylvania field.
US sanctions ban doing financial business with the IEA but allow humanitarian support for the Afghan people.
The case is in re Terrorist Attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, US District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 03-md-01570, Reuters reported.
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Haqqani visits four Afghan provinces, meets local officials and residents
During his visit to Paktia, Haqqani met with tribal elders in Gardez-e-Sher district and attended a condolence gathering for a deceased family member.
Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani has visited Ghazni, Paktika, Paktia and Maidan Wardak provinces, meeting with local officials, religious scholars, tribal elders, security members and residents to discuss security, governance and community concerns.
According to a statement released by the ministry, Haqqani listened to residents’ concerns, reviewed the activities of local authorities and discussed administrative and security challenges during his visits.
In Ghazni, Haqqani attended a graduation ceremony at Noor-ul-Madaris Madrasa in Shilgar district, where more than 400 students received graduation certificates from various departments.
He also visited an elementary school in Behbud village of Gilan district, where he reviewed the learning environment and discussed plans for constructing a school building and providing assistance to students.
During another visit, he inspected the Shaheed Muslim Orphanage in Janda area and received information about the children’s education and welfare.
In Paktika, Haqqani met with local residents, tribal elders and security members in Khairkot district, emphasizing reconstruction and national development.
He said the period of war and bloodshed had ended and that Afghanistan should now focus on rebuilding and progress. He also described reconstruction as a shared responsibility between the government and the public.
At the Paktika provincial governor’s office, Haqqani met civilian and security officials to discuss the province’s overall situation, administrative affairs, security challenges and public service needs.
He also met separately with people with disabilities, listened to their concerns and assured them of cooperation and support.
During his visit to Paktia, Haqqani met with tribal elders in Gardez-e-Sher district and attended a condolence gathering for a deceased family member.
His final stop was Maidan Wardak province, where he visited the Tang-e Valley and attended another condolence gathering before returning to Kabul.
The four-province tour focused on engagement with local communities, reviewing provincial affairs and discussing reconstruction, governance and public concerns.
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Afghan and Iranian officials discuss expanding economic cooperation
Ahmad Jan Bilal, General Director of State-Owned Corporations, met on Tuesday with Iran’s Ambassador to Kabul, Ali Reza Bikdeli, to discuss expanding bilateral economic cooperation and following up on issues raised during his recent visit to Iran.
According to a statement from the General Directorate of State-Owned Companies, the meeting focused on reviewing ways to implement discussions held with Iranian officials during Bilal’s visit.
Bikdeli described the visit as positive and productive, stressing the importance of following up on the issues discussed and taking practical steps to advance bilateral cooperation.
He said Iran is ready to cooperate with Afghanistan in oil and gas exploration, extraction and exports, refinery construction, agriculture, water and electricity.
Bilal, for his part, said the Islamic Emirate is interested in expanding joint cooperation with Iran in energy, agriculture, industrial development and other economic sectors. He added that his office would work with the Iranian side to turn the proposed areas of cooperation into practical initiatives.
Bilal also reaffirmed his office’s commitment to following up on the issues discussed during his recent visit to Iran and working towards their implementation in coordination with Iranian officials.
Bilal recently visited Iran at the head of a delegation, holding talks with several Iranian officials on expanding economic, trade and investment ties, particularly in the state-owned companies sector.
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Ariana Airlines reduces Kabul–Islamabad–Kabul airfares by $20
Ariana Afghan Airlines announced on Tuesday a reduction in ticket prices for flights on the Kabul–Islamabad–Kabul route from $190 to $170.
According to the airline, passengers can now purchase tickets for this route at $20 less than the previous fare.
The airline has also set a special fare of $150 for students travelling on this route.
Ariana Afghan Airlines said the move aims to reduce travel costs and make air travel more affordable and accessible for passengers and students.
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