The US Supreme Court overturned Tuesday a ruling ordering Sudan to pay damages to the families of 17 servicemen killed in the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen.
The high court ruled on procedural grounds: under regulations related to the prosecution of foreign states, it said the Sudanese government should have been served the complaint in Khartoum instead of via its embassy in Washington.
"In cases with sensitive diplomatic implications, the rule of law demands adherence to strict rules," the justices said in an 8-1 ruling.
Sudan was backed by President Donald Trump's administration in the case.
The sailors, however, expressed disappointment over the ruling.
On October 12, 2000, a rubber boat loaded with explosives blew up as it rounded the bow of the guided-missile destroyer, which had just pulled into Aden, Yemen, for a refueling stop.
Seventeen American sailors were killed as well as the two perpetrators of the attack claimed by al-Qaeda.
A US court then ruled that Sudan, where the two bombers were trained, held responsibility for the attack -- a claim Khartoum always denied.
In 2012, a Washington judge ordered Sudan to pay $314.7 million to the victims' families. Other judges went on to order certain banks to make Sudanese assets available to start paying the sum.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch has called on Tunisia to bar entry to or arrest Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.
A Sudanese news source reported last week that Bashir intends to attend the Arab League summit, which will be held in Tunisia, a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), on Sunday.
“Tunisia should demonstrate its commitment to international justice by barring President Bashir or arresting him if he sets foot in the country,” said Elise Keppler, associate international justice director at Human Rights Watch. “Bashir is an international fugitive who should be in The Hague to face the charges against him, not attending summits hosted by ICC members.”
