Business and Technology

MTN faces new claims in lawsuit over alleged terrorist payments

MTN faces new allegations of aiding al-Qaeda and the Taliban, reports Reuters. According to Reuters, the allegations claim that MTN paid protection money to both of these terrorist groups.

The original lawsuit against MTN was filed in December 2019 in the United States District Court in the District of Columbia. The lawsuit claimed that MTN – along with five other groups – violated America’s Anti-Terrorism Act by paying al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

“The complaint was filed on behalf of American service members and civilians, and their families, who were killed or wounded in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2017,” said MTN in December. The complaint alleges that several Western businesses supported the Taliban by, inter alia, making payments to ensure the protection of their infrastructure.”

Updated complaint

An updated lawsuit was filed on Friday and claims that MTN’s conduct in Afghanistan “targeted the United States. It is claimed that MTN paid over $100 million to al-Qaeda and the Taliban so its towers would not be destroyed.

The lawsuit also claims that MTN would switch off these towers at night and in doing so hampered US intelligence operations. MTN previously denied the allegations against it and filed for the suit to be dismissed in April.

MTN

“Put simply, Plaintiffs have sued the wrong defendants in the wrong court based on insufficient allegations,” said MTN at the time. However, it was not able to challenge the facts brought against it, so sought other means to get the suit dismissed.

“Under US law and procedures, MTN is not permitted at this stage of the lawsuit to challenge or contest the factual allegations made against the company, so the motion to dismiss focuses on the lack of jurisdiction and the legal insufficiency of the claims,” MTN explained. MTN told Reuters on Saturday that it was again considering filing for the case to be dismissed.

“We are reviewing the new material in consultation with our legal advisers,” said MTN in December. Chief executive officer Rob Shuter added at the time that MTN “remains of the view” that it conducts its business in “a responsible and compliant manner in all its territories.

In other news – Government called to ban alcohol again as cases of violence increase

This week’s booze binge has set SA back in its fight against Covid-19. Across the country, a massive surge of people in hospital emergency rooms with alcohol-related injuries has put additional strain on health-care numbers and filled up ICU beds needed for Covid-19 patients. Read more

Source: businesstech