WASHINGTON, D.C. – Hailing it as a victory in the fight against terrorism, the 9/11 Families United for Justice Against Terrorism praised unanimous Senate passage of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA S.1535/H.R.3143) and thanked Senate cosponsor Senator John Cornyn (R-TX). The bill has enjoyed broad bipartisan support in both the Senate and the House and passed the Senate on Thursday, December 11.
Deanna Wirth of Forest, Virginia, said, “My father, Alfred Braca, was murdered on 9/11 where he worked at the WTC. The cowardly attacks of the hijackers and al Qaeda ripped my father from my family, but it could not take away my family’s resolve to seek justice and hold accountable those behind the attacks.”
“Never in our history has it been more urgent for us to end the flow of money to terrorists whose dangerous ideology led to the attacks of 9/11. We see the dangers everywhere from Syria to Africa and these dangers continue to be a threat to U.S. national security,” said Terry Strada of New Vernon, N.J., widow of Tom Strada, who died in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. “JASTA is the product of over 5 years of work and negotiations. Thank you Senator Cornyn.”
“For more than a decade I have been seeking my day in court to have those responsible for the murder of my son answer for what they did. I am hopeful that JASTA is passed into law. No one should be above the law,” said Bill Doyle of The Villages, Fla., father of Joseph M. Doyle who died in the World Trade Center. “I am pleased that the Senate is taking this step to hold accountable to the greatest extent possible those who finance or otherwise support terrorists who attack America.”
Loreen Sellitto of New Vernon, N.J., mother of Matthew Sellitto, 23, who died in the World Trade Center, said, “Thank you Senator Cornyn. The next Congress must do everything possible to protect the citizens of this country against future terrorist attacks. I hope that all Americans will stand behind this non-partisan Senate passage to hold accountable the foreign sponsors of terrorism that target America by attacking its funding and support networks.”
The 9/11 Families United for Justice Against Terrorism is comprised of thousands of family members of those killed in the attacks of 9/11 and those injured as well. They are united in the cause of pursuing justice and deterring future terrorist attacks. To do so, they are using the civil legal system to pursue those who they allege financed and provided support for those cowardly terrorist attacks. The case is In Re Thomas E. Burnett, Sr., et al. v. Al Baraka Investment & Development Corp., et al., Case No. 03-CV-9849 (GBD); In Re Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001, 03 MDL 1570. The change.org petition can be found at: http://bit.ly/JASTA.
