A Not-So-Mighty Heart Now?
Mariane Pearl, widow of slain journalist Daniel Pearl, has dropped her lawsuit against al Qaeda in New York.
The lawsuit, which sought an unspecified amount of damages for Daniel’s beheading, had named as defendants “those terrorists, terrorist organizations and the supporting charitable and banking organizations for the senseless kidnapping, torture and murder of Daniel Pearl.”
The banking organizations included Habib Bank Limited, one of Pakistan’s largest banks. Pearl’s attorneys claimed the bank was funding various “charities” which served as fronts for terrorist organizations. The bank had denied the claim.
Back in March another defendant — Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the force behind the 9/11 attacks — had claimed responsibility for Pearl’s murder.
Attorneys for Mariane Pearl state that she voluntarily dismissed the suit for “personal reasons” which have nothing to do with the merits of the suit.
Frankly, I’m truly disappointed in this move. The “Mighty Heart” movie about Mariane Pearl’s life, starring Angelina Jolie, had done quite a bit to remind folks of the travesty behind Daniel Pearls’s death, and how actual justice has not yet been meted out.
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When you look at the history of the results of similar lawsuits, I can’t say I blame her. She has children to think of. A lawsuit would likely cost her every dime she has, and why should she bankrupt their future to get a judgment that will never, ever be realized in dollars and cents?
Others have done so before, spent a fortune on lawyers, and yes they won, but they have not been able to collect a dime of the judgment.
When a suit was won against the Palestinian Authority for its support of terrorism, this administration went to court to help the palestinians block the seizure of PA bank accounts here in the states, saying it would harm the PA’s ability to function. Damn right, that was the point of the lawsuit and the judgment. Still, with the help of our government, the PA managed to avoid paying up.
No, I don’t blame her for letting the lawsuit drop.