United States DC Circuit

In case involving Libyan authorities capturing passengers and crew of a yacht that docked in Benghazi during a storm, with allegations of torture, hostage-taking, and various torts, denial of defendant Libya's motion to dismiss the amended complaint on sovereign immunity grounds is affirmed where the 1996 Terrorism Amendment to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act's definition of hostage taking focuses on the state of mind of the hostage taker, a plaintiff need not show that the hostage taker communicated a demand reflecting the hostage taker's intended purpose to a third party.

Appellate Information

• Decided 11/21/2006
• Published 11/21/2006

Judges

• Before:  ROGERS and GARLAND, Circuit Judges, and SILBERMAN, Senior Circuit Judge.

Court

• United States DC Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Arman Dabiri argued the cause and filed the briefs for appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Eric C. Sorenson argued the cause and filed the brief for appellee.