Hundreds of Americans have filed an Anti-Terrorism Act complaint against Ericsson for “aiding campaigns of terrorism in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria conducted by al-Qaeda, al-Qaeda-in-Iraq, and Islamic State from 2004 through 2022.”

The suit was filed by Washington, D.C.-based law firm Sparacino on behalf of 528 Americans, “comprised of 165 Gold Star families and numerous former hostages, families of hostages, and severely injured service members,” according to the firm.

“Ericsson is accused of making protection payments to designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations, obstructing U.S. government counterterrorism efforts, and fraudulently concealing their aid to terrorists from the United States, Ericsson’s shareholders, and victims of terrorism like Plaintiffs.

“Each Plaintiff was injured, or is the loved one of someone who was killed or injured, during attacks committed by al-Qaeda, al-Qaeda-in-Iraq, or Islamic State in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria from 2005 through 2021.

“Plaintiffs say Ericsson knowingly supported a terrorist campaign that attacked, killed, and wounded thousands of Americans in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria, including Plaintiffs, by aiding the terrorists through Ericsson’s regular protection money payments to terrorists, and Ericsson’s intentional obstruction of United States counterterrorism policy.”

According to Ryan Sparacino, Founding Partner of Sparacino, Ericsson facilitated illicit Iraq-related transactions “that they knew terrorists such as ISIS used to finance attacks against Americans in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria.”

“As alleged,” he continued, “even though the terrorists openly proclaimed their desire for protection money to help fund their campaign to kill Americans in the Middle East and the U.S. government publicly opposed illicit transactions that flowed protection money to terrorists, Ericsson defied the United States – and its obligations under the Anti- Terrorism Act – in pursuit of profit.”

Sparacino said, given Ericsson’s admissions that media reports of its behavior are accurate, “the U.S. Department of Justice must make an example out of the company and any person who supported the corruption scheme.

“Justice in these circumstances cannot – and must not – be limited to just another corporate slap on the wrist.”