Canadian court awards $13mn in frozen assets to �Iran terror� victims

"A Canadian judge has ordered that Iranian assets be handed over to victims of attacks by Hamas and Hizballah, groups sponsored by Tehran.

The judgment on June 10 mirrors a court victory against Tehran won by terrorist attack victims' families in the United States earlier this year, which Tehran has strongly denounced and is fighting in international arenas.

The Canadian judgment awards about $13 million in non-diplomatic assets to families of Americans who died in bombings or hostage-takings in Buenos Aires, Israel, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia from 1983 to 2002. Hundreds died in the attacks.

Like the U.S. courts, Canada's Ontario Superior Court found that Iran was responsible for training Hamas and Hezbollah operatives, and backed the groups financially.

But the U.S. Supreme Court judgment ordering about $2 billion in Iranian assets be handed over to the victims' families has remained largely unpaid as Tehran has vowed to appeal it in international courts.

"Terrorism is one of the world's greatest threats," Ontario Superior Court Justice Glenn Hainey said in his decision."