The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, accuses Ahlam Aref Ahmad al‑Tamimi of planning the October 2001 suicide bombing at a Sbarro pizza restaurant in downtown Jerusalem. The attack killed fifteen people and injured roughly one hundred twenty‑two, among them seven children. One of the victims was fifteen‑year‑old Malki Roth, an American citizen visiting Israel with her family.
Arnold and Frimet Roth, filing on behalf of their daughter, are seeking compensatory damages at the maximum amount allowed by law. The case is brought under the Anti‑Terrorism Act of 1990, a federal statute that permits U.S. citizens to sue foreign individuals or entities that commit acts of terrorism resulting in injury to Americans, even when the conduct occurred abroad.
Under the Act, U.S. courts have jurisdiction over civil claims when the plaintiff is a U.S. national and the defendant's conduct was intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population. The law has been used in high‑profile cases, such as the families of September 11 victims who sued Saudi Arabia and the families of Pan Am Flight 103 victims who sued Libya. Those precedents demonstrate that a civil judgment can be entered without the need for extradition, a point the Roths' attorneys stress.
Al‑Tamimi was convicted in an Israeli military court in 2003 and sentenced to sixteen life terms for her involvement in the bombing. She was released in 2011 as part of a prisoner‑exchange agreement that granted her Jordanian citizenship. Since then she has lived openly in Amman, where she hosted a weekly television program on the Hamas‑affiliated Al‑Quds satellite channel from 2012 to 2016.
U.S. authorities have long classified Hamas as a foreign terrorist organization. The Department of Justice unsealed a criminal complaint and arrest warrant against al‑Tamimi in 2017, and the State Department's Rewards for Justice program posted a five‑million‑dollar bounty for information leading to her capture. Despite the warrant, Jordan has refused to extradite her, citing the 1995 extradition treaty that allows Jordan to deny surrender of its nationals.
"Jordan can block an extradition but it cannot block a judgment," said Mark Goldfeder, chief executive of the National Jewish Advocacy Center, which is co‑counsel on the case. "For twenty‑five years, Ahlam Tamimi has lived free in Jordan while the Roth family lived with an empty chair at their table." The Roths hope the civil suit will create financial pressure that cannot be avoided by a simple refusal to hand over the defendant.
The filing has drawn renewed attention from American Jewish advocacy groups. B'nai B'rith International wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio in August 2025 urging the State Department to provide updates on diplomatic efforts to secure al‑Tamimi's surrender. The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations issued a similar request last week, asking Rubio to reaffirm that the 1995 treaty with Jordan remains in effect and to press Amman to meet its obligations.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also weighed in, stating that he stands "with Israel against terrorism in all its forms and remains committed to bringing every last fugitive of this heinous act to justice." Huckabee met with the Roth family in early June and was presented with a petition demanding Jordan's cooperation.
Al‑Tamimi responded to a 2017 Al Jazeera interview from her Amman residence by calling the U.S. pursuit "shocking" and blaming American Jews for the pressure. "These groups have somehow been able to steer the US government to go after me," she said. "Even after I was convicted and spent many years in Israeli prisons, the US government, who is always trying to solve the problems of the world, has decided to go after one woman for no obvious reasons."
The case also highlights the broader debate over how the United States holds foreign terrorists accountable when criminal prosecution is blocked by diplomatic hurdles. Civil suits under the Anti‑Terrorism Act do not require the defendant's physical presence; a judgment can be enforced against assets wherever they are located. However, al‑Tamimi's known assets are limited, and Jordan has indicated it will not seize or freeze them on U.S. request.
Legal scholars note that while a civil verdict can award substantial monetary damages, the practical impact depends on the ability to collect. In past cases, plaintiffs have pursued liens against foreign banks or sought to garnish proceeds from property holdings. The Roth family's attorneys have indicated they will explore all avenues, including potential claims against organizations that have provided financial support to al‑Tamimi.
For American victims of overseas terrorism, the lawsuit represents a rare avenue to seek redress when criminal avenues are stalled. The outcome could set a precedent for other families seeking compensation from foreign militants who enjoy safe haven in countries that do not extradite them. It may also influence U.S. policy discussions about tightening the terms of extradition treaties and expanding the use of civil litigation as a tool against terrorism.
As the case proceeds, the Roths face the challenge of proving al‑Tamimi's direct responsibility for the Sbarro attack in a U.S. courtroom. The lawsuit alleges that she "publicly described her role, celebrated its lethality and expressed no remorse," citing statements she made in media appearances after her release. If a jury finds in favor of the plaintiffs, the judgment could amount to the statutory maximum of several hundred million dollars, though actual collection would hinge on the availability of enforceable assets.
Regardless of the legal outcome, the filing has already amplified calls within the United States for a more aggressive stance toward individuals who have been granted protection by allied governments. The Roth family's pursuit of justice underscores the lingering pain of the Sbarro bombing and the enduring desire of victims' families to hold perpetrators accountable, even decades after the original crime.