Judge: Iran can be sued for Saudi bombing

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- A U.S. judge's ruling allows the families of 19 Air Force members killed in the bombing of military housing in Saudi Arabia to seek damages from Iran.

In a 209-page opinion, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth in Washington said the government of Iran, the Iranian Ministry of Information and Security and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could be held legally responsible because they provided aid to Hezbollah, the group that bombed the Khobar Towers in 1996, The Washington Times reported.

Families of 17 of those killed have sued, seeking $260 million in damages.

An investigation by the FBI determined that the attack was planned at the Iranian embassy in Syria. A grand jury in Virginia indicted 13 members of Hezbollah in 2001.

Iran has not responded to the lawsuit. Families could try to collect damages from blocked Iranian government funds in the United States, the Times said.