SCOTUS to Weigh Cash for Iran Terror Victims

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Thursday to decide whether Congress exceeded its powers when it passed a law in 2012 allowing victims of terrorism to seize nearly $2 billion belonging to Iran's central bank, NBC News reported. 

More than 1,000 victims of terrorist attacks throughout the Middle East sponsored by Iran sued the Iranian government and won their cases. Among them were family members of 241 Marines killed in a 1983 barracks bombing in Lebanon.

The attack was blamed on Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite militia backed by Iran.

Because Iran refused to pay, the victims asked a federal court to let them seize Iranian assets held by Bank Markazi in New York that were frozen by the Obama administration. 

Normally, those assets would not be available to the victims, but they asked Congress to pass a law allowing them to seize the money. 

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