Holding Iran Accountable for Terrorism

"[The damages decision -- finding Iran responsible for a terrorist act that killed Canadian citizens, and finding financial compensation justified -- is] unprecedented in Canadian law."

"If anybody from the Islamic Republic of Iran is on this call, if the Supreme Leader is on this call, we're coming after your assets, gentlemen."

Lawyer Mark Arnold, Toronto, representing six victims' families

"I cannot speculate on who hijacked the call, but it was indeed interference."

Lawyer Josh Arnold, Toronto, representing six victims' families

People hold placards with images of the victims of the downing of Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752, which was shot down near Tehran by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, during a march to mark its first anniversary, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada January 8, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio

Lawyers and family members of a number of victims of the downing of an Ukraine passenger jet in January of 2020 were on a virtual news conference with the intention of hosting a video media availability to enable discussion of a court decision awarding the families over $107 million to go to families of six victims of the crash.

Over a hundred of the 175 people who died in the missile attacks against the Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 were linked to Canada; 55 were citizens of Canada and 30 were permanent residents. As well, a number of Iranian students were set to arrive in Canada on student visas to attend Canadian universities. 

January 8, 2020 was a day of high tension, with the Revolutionary Guard Corps anticipating an American response to the missiles they had fired off earlier on several U.S. military bases in Iraq. Despite the tension and the anticipated response, commercial air traffic was allowed to continue; there was no move to shut down the air space over and around Tehran where the Ukraine flight was dispatched from.

It seems a trigger-happy IRGC functionary had believed the plane taking off from the Tehran airport was an incoming missile from U.S. forces in Iraq. Tensions were high in the immediate aftermath of the U.S. military strike that targeted and killed the former head of the al-Quds arm of the IRGC, General Qasem Soleimani, a state-terrorist mastermind.

Iranians lift national flags during a ceremony in the capital Tehran, on January 3, 2022, commemorating the second anniversary of the killing in Iraq of top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani (portrait) and Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a US raid. (Atta Kenare/AFP)

A May judicial ruling held that the missile strikes were in effect an intentional act of terrorism, opening an opportunity that would allow for the victims' families to sue for financial compensation from Iran. Ontario Superior Court Justice Edward Belobaba ruled on a balance of probabilities the missiles that shot down the Ukraine International Airlines Flight were deliberately fired, when no armed conflict was active in the area.

He ruled the event constituted an act of terrorism, invalidating Iran's immunity against civil litigation. The Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act provides an exception to the State Immunity Act protecting foreign states from legal claims, in instances where losses have been caused through terrorist activity. The legal team representing the six families' suit for compensation kept to itself how it planned to recover Irani8an assets to transfer to the victims' families.

They did make it clear that they knew where Canadian and international assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran could be found. And the challenge to the Republic and its Supreme Leader alerting and warning them that all necessary steps would be taken to deprive them of their assets as just retribution to a terrorist act must have been monitored by those being warned. Someone, or some entity responded. 

The lawyers had sent a news release to the media containing the dial-in details and password foranyone interested to join the call.

And among others who had a vested interest in the call and the ensuing discussions and revelations, were some who clearly had a connection to the Islamic Republic for mere moments following the challenge, the Zoom news conference was blasted with heavy metal music and pornographic images, lasting three minutes before the call was ended.

Not before images of a doll with sharp teeth and a dog with glaring eyes popped up on the screen, then a clip of a man singing a rap song with obscene lyrics followed by repeated images of a man running toward a camera ostensibly to boot it. The call was ended, and another, refreshed and prepared to carry on, replaced it.

Family members who lost loved ones on Flight PS752 almost two years ago conducted their own probe into the aircraft's destruction. (Social media video via Reuters)