MTN’s New York terror case moves closer to trial

SA-telecomes group MTN could find itself coughing up hundreds of millions of dollars to a group of US citizens who accuse the company of – wittingly or unwittingly – aiding terrorist attacks in Iran and Afghanistan. In court papers, the MTN Group and several other global telecommunications giants are being accused by a group of US citizens, who were directly affected by the violence, of sponsoring terrorist attacks in Iran and Afghanistan between 2011 and 2019. City Press reports that the case has reached a stage where the plaintiff and defendant agreed at the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York on the timelines to be considered when the case is heard. MTN has agreed to a timeline within which it will supply the legal representatives of the plaintiffs in the matter – represented by a team of international law firms – with information that would be used during litigation. The plaintiffs in the matter allege that companies, including the MTN Group and its subsidiary, MTN Dubai, violated the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act by supporting terrorist activities, some of which claimed American lives. The MTN Group has been specifically highlighted for facilitating the operations of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Iran and supporting the Taliban’s campaign against US citizens in Afghanistan. The allegations stem from the fact that MTN is in a joint venture deal with an Iranian communications company whose technology has allegedly been used by IRGC and the Taliban.