A 1996 amendment to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) enables American victims of international terrorist acts supported by certain States designated by the State Department as supporters of terrorism - Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, and previously Iraq and Libya - to bring suit in U.S. courts to seek monetary damages. This report, which will be updated, provides an overview of these issues and relevant legislation (H.R. 5167).

Script from the WBAP-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, relating a news story about a young Japanese who hijacked a domestics Japan Airlines flight and threatened to kill some of 83 persons aboard one by one unless an imprisoned Japanese guerilla leader is released.