Imagine surviving a heinous terrorist attack, suffering physical and emotional scars that never truly heal, and then finding out that the government is excluding you from a vital piece of legislation designed to provide compensation and justice. This is the harsh reality faced by the Khobar Towers victims like me. As one of those who survived the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, I want to shed light on the importance of not being overlooked in the Fairness for 9/11 Families Act and explain how the U.S. Senate can correct this injustice.
The Khobar Towers Tragedy
On June 25, 1996, a massive truck bomb detonated just outside the Khobar Towers housing complex, which housed U.S. military personnel in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The explosion was catastrophic, claiming the lives of 19 of our brave servicemen and leaving hundreds injured, physically and emotionally. I was one of the fortunate ones to survive, but the scars of that fateful day continue to affect my life and the lives of countless others who were there.
Quote from a Victim: “I can still hear the deafening blast and feel the ground shaking beneath my feet. That day changed everything, and the pain lingers in ways words can’t express.” – A Khobar Towers Survivor
The Unfair Exclusion from the Fairness for 9/11 Families Act
Fast forward to 2022, and the U.S. Congress passed the Fairness for 9/11 Families Act, granting compensation to certain 9/11 victims, certain Khobar Towers victims and others, who missed out on prior rounds of compensation provided to the earlier group of victims. The Fairness Act provided them with catch-up payments to make up for the payments they previously missed.
The Fairness Act unfortunately left out similarly situated victims of the Khobar Towers bombing, merely due to the timing of when they filed their claims.
The exclusion of the vast majority of similarly situated Khobar Towers victims from the Fairness for 9/11 Families Act is a painful reminder that our government has seemingly granted a special privilege to one set of victims while denying another set of victims from the very same terror attack.
We deserve to be treated and compensated as equals with our peers who were injured in the same terror attack as we were.
Equal Treatment Under the Law
The most compelling argument for amending the Fairness Act to include those Khobar Towers victims who were left out previously, is the principle of equal treatment under the law. Terrorism victims should not be treated differently based merely on the timing of when they filed claims to the USVSST Fund. We all suffered devastating losses in the very same terror attack, and we all deserve equal justice and compensation.
Closure and Healing
For many Khobar Towers survivors and families of victims, closure and healing have remained elusive. The inclusion in the Fairness for 9/11 Families Act would provide an avenue for us to find closure, hold those responsible accountable, and hopefully begin the process of healing.
How the U.S. Senate Can Fix This Issue
The U.S. Senate has the power to rectify this injustice by amending the Fairness for 9/11 Families Act to include all Khobar Towers victims who have been awarded a judgment by the federal court. This simple act of fairness would demonstrate our government’s commitment to justice and recognition of the sacrifices made by Khobar Towers victims.
Moreover, this amendment should be retroactive to ensure that all Khobar Towers victims, regardless of when they received their judgment, can seek justice under the Act. This step would provide much-needed relief to those who have waited for years to see justice served.
The Fairness for 9/11 Families Act was a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice for victims of terrorism, but its exclusion of Khobar Towers victims is a painful oversight. As one of those who survived the Khobar Towers bombing, I implore the U.S. Senate to right this wrong by including all Khobar Towers victims who have been awarded a judgment by the federal court in the Act.
By doing so, the Senate would not only correct an injustice but also send a clear message that all victims of state-sponsored terrorism, regardless of when and where they were attacked, deserve equal treatment under the law. It’s time to ensure that Khobar Towers victims are not forgotten and that they have the opportunity to seek the justice and closure they deserve.
