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The unusual case sees a long list of American victims of terrorism suing Iran in Canada to recover massive U.S. court awards.

Awarding damages that may have a deterrent effect is a sensible and measured response to the state sponsorship of terrorism

The victims — some of whom were personally injured, kidnapped or tortured and others the families of those killed in terror attacks — sued Iran in the United States for arming, training and bankrolling Hamas and Hezbollah.

The list of victims stem from separate terror attacks:

• A suicide bombing of the U.S. Marine Barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1983 by Hezbollah that killed 241 American servicemen;

• Four separate attacks in Lebanon, including the 1984 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, by Hezbollah that killed 14 people;

• Various kidnappings in Lebanon in the 1980s by Hezbollah, one that ended with the hanging of a U.S. Lieutenant Colonel and others ending in release after brutal and traumatizing captivity;

• Three bombings in the 1990s by terrorist organizations found to be supported and funded by Iran that took place in Israel, Saudi Arabia and Argentina;

• And the bombing by Hamas of Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 2002 that killed Marla Bennett, a 24-year-old student from California.

The terror victims earlier won their various cases in the United States and were awarded significant financial judgments, including substantial punitive damages that amount to about US$1.7 billion.

With few Iranian government assets remaining in the United States, the victims turned to Canada, where Tehran maintained property and bank accounts.