KHOBAR TOWERS BOMBING LAWSUITS
On the night of June 25, 1996, Building 131 in the Khobar Towers complex in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia experienced a shocking bombing attack. U.S. Airmen supporting Operation Southern Watch, primarily assigned to the 440th Wing, were temporarily staying in the building. Though the building was in the process of evacuating due to suspicious signs, 19 Airmen were killed and at least 400 service members and civilians were injured in the explosion.
In 2001, Saudi Arabia refused to extradite any of the eleven people indicted in the United States in connection with the bombing. Though the Saudi government claimed the perpetrators were in custody in Saudi prisons, it never made the “trial” outcomes public.
On June 25, 1996, the United States indicted Ahmed Ibrahim al-Mughassil, the head of the “military wing” of the terrorist organization Saudi Hizballah and the man accused of orchestrating the Khobar Towers bombing, in the Eastern District of Virginia. The charges include “conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals and murder U.S. employees, conspiracy to attack National Defense Utilities; bombing resulting in death, murder and attempted murder of Federal employees. Al-Mughassil was captured in Beirut and transferred to Saudi custody in 2015. His fate remains unknown.
The United States Department of State is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading directly to the apprehension or conviction of Ahmed Ibrahim al-Mughassil. If you have any information concerning al-Mughassil, contact either MM-LAW or your local FBI Office or nearest American Embassy or Consulate. Chick https://tips.fbi.gov/entity-information/subject to submit an anonymous tip online.
The U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia found Iran responsible for the attack.
MM-LAW has brought three lawsuits on behalf of injured Vets and their families in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia against Iran and its proxies for their responsibility for this attack. A fourth lawsuit is being prepared and will be filed before the end of this year or in the first quarter of 2026. The United States District Court in the District of Columbia found Iran responsible for the attack and obliged to pay compensation to the victims. This ruling will apply to the fourth lawsuit and all other lawsuits MM-LAW may file against Iran on behalf of Glod Star families and injured Veterans families.
2019: Christie et al. v. Islamic Republic of Iran et al.
2021: Gration et al. v. Islamic Republic of Iran et al.
2023: St John et al. v. Islamic Republic of Iran et al.
2025: 4th lawsuit v. Islamic Republic of Iran et al. currently in preparation – expected filing date December 2025 or January-February 2026
How MM~LAW Is Helping
On July 2, 2020, the Christie lawsuit resulted in a judgment for survivors of compensatory and punitive damages in the amount of $879,120,000. Links to read the complaint, full opinion and judgment are below.
On August 15, 2023, the Gration lawsuit resulted in a judgment for survivors of compensatory and punitive damages in the amount of $571,500,000. Links to read the complaint, full opinion and judgment are below.
In 2023, MM~LAW filed a third lawsuit for survivors of the Khobar Towers attack in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia titled St. John, et. al v. Islamic Republic of Iran, et. al,
The terrorist attack on June 25, 1996, in Saudi Arabia against United States servicemembers caused the horrific deaths of 19 Airmen, 498 wounded survivors, and an untold amount of family members' lives forever changed. We continue to seek justice for this heinous crime and compensation from those responsible.
As a result of the bombing of Khobar Towers, many of the servicemembers and family members are still suffering from life-altering injuries and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
MM~LAW is dedicated to fighting for the rights of U.S. veterans and their families. We represent over 3000 veterans and Gold Star families injured as a result of acts of international terrorism in cases brought under the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act.
Over the last 20 years, MM-LAW has lobbied Congress for compensation for those impacted by terror attacks. Attorney Gavriel Mairone co-authored and successfully led the lobbying efforts for passage of the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act which created the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund (“USVSST Fund”). Since its establishment, the USVSST Fund has distributed over $7 billion to eligible Vets, US Embassy employees and other American victims of state sponsored terrorism. In order to qualify for inclusion in the USVSST Fund, American victims (including all members of the armed forces and employees of the U.S. government and their immediate family members, irrespective of citizenship) must obtain a final judgment in federal court against one of the designated state sponsors of terrorism such as Iran, Syria, North Korea or Cuba.
In 2018, MM~LAW authored and successfully lobbied for the bi-partisan, unanimous passage of the Anti-Terrorism Clarification Act, to close the loophole used by Iranian and other foreign banks that asserted terrorist attacks against US service members were “acts of war” and not acts of international terrorism, thereby attempting to deny Gold Star families and Vets compensation under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
MM~LAW has amassed over 10 billion dollars in judgments against Iran and other state sponsors of terrorism, of which $1.4 billion for clients injured in the Khobar Towers bombing and over $1.5 billion for Gold Star families and veterans and their families killed or injured during Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2003-2011.
Click on the links below to download the complaints, opinions and redacted judgments obtained by MM~LAW for clients injured in the bombing of Khobar Towers.
Christie et al. v. Islamic Republic of Iran et al. - Complaint
Christie et al. v. Islamic Republic of Iran et al. - Opinion
Christie et al. v. Islamic Republic of Iran et al. – Judgement (redacted)
Gration et al. v. Islamic Republic of Iran et al. - Complaint
Gration et al. v. Islamic Republic of Iran et al. - Opinion
Gration et al. v. Islamic Republic of Iran et al. -Judgement (redacted)
St John et al. v. Islamic Republic of Iran et al. - Complaint
FREE CASE EVALUATION
MM~LAW is preparing to file an additional lawsuit representing survivors of the Khobar Towers terrorist attack.
Click on this link to complete and submit online a request for a confidential, free case evaluation of your potential claim.