Arab Bank’s main offices in the Jordanian capital, Amman. Its chairman said the bank was preparing an appeal against the verdict that it described as unjust and exposed not just the bank but others to “enormous liability” for providing routine services.
Reuters
Jordanian lender Arab Bank Group said its had begun legal steps to appeal a US jury ruling which found it liable for financing Palestinian group Hamas.
The US civil lawsuit brought against the Jordan-based bank has been described by lawyers as the first of its kind to reach trial. Jurors last month found it was liable for giving material support to Hamas and said it must compensate victims of two dozen attacks attributed to the group in Israel and the Palestinian territories.
Chairman Sabih Masrii said the bank was preparing an appeal against the verdict that it described as unjust and exposed not just the bank but others to “enormous liability” for providing routine services.
“We have started the preliminary actions for the submission of the appeal which is expected to take over a year. The bank has taken the appropriate measures to deal with the situation,” Masri said in a statement announcing the bank’s nine month results.
Similar lawsuits are pending in New York against Bank of China Ltd, which is accused of providing services to Palestine Islamic Jihad, and Credit Lyonnais SA, which is accused of aiding Hamas. Those banks have denied the allegations.
Jordan’s central bank has strongly backed the country’s largest lender, the main pillar of the financial system with a balance sheet of $46.4bn and with a regional reputation of conservative banking practices and risk shunning.
Central bank officials say the bank is financially sound with a strong level of capitalisation with a capital adequacy ratio of 15% and a very strong liquidity position.
US ally Jordan is in debt to the tune of $28bn and is finances are stretched by the costs of accommodating over 1mn Syrian refugees.
Senior officials have also cautioned the US treasury of the implications of what they saw as a “politically inspired rulings” on future Arab investments in the US.
Arab Bank, whose geographic spread over 30 countries in five continents has diversified its operations and minimised risk, owns 40% of Saudi Arabia’s Arab National Bank ANB. Investment analysts say the bank has traditionally had a lower risk appetite than its rivals and it favours capitalisation and liquidity versus profitability.
Arab Bank’s growth has long been tied to its regional and global expansion, and it has a reputation for withstanding political upheaval. The firm is one of the Arab world’s largest privately owned banks. More than 20% is owned by the family of Lebanon’s former prime minister, Rafik al-Hariri, who was assassinated in 2005. Jordan’s state social pension fund holds a 15.5% stake.
