Amsterdam & Partners LLP: Senior Iraqi Officials Accused of Working With Terrorists to Kidnap, Torture and Extort American Citizen

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Amsterdam & Partners LLP today confirms that the efforts by the chief of the Iraqi judiciary, senior Iraqi officials, politically connected businessmen, and other defendants named in the civil action brought by Kurdish-American businesswoman Sara Saleem to dismiss the lawsuit currently before the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia have been shown to be without merit. A hearing on the defendants' motions to dismiss has been scheduled for 12 June 2026.

Ms. Saleem's lawsuit explains how a broad network of Iraqi political leaders, judicial authorities, militia actors and business associates participated in, facilitated or subsequently concealed a decade-long campaign of kidnapping, torture, extortion, asset seizure and judicial persecution directed against her.

In 2014, Ms. Saleem was kidnapped and tortured for forty-three days by Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (“AAHˮ) and Hezbollah-linked actors — Iran-backed militias long associated with kidnapping, assassination and sectarian violence in Iraq — following her refusal to make political payments connected to powerful Iraqi interests. According to the complaint, the militia actors operated using official Prime Ministerial vehicles and cover. During her captivity, Ms. Saleem was allegedly subjected to severe physical abuse and coercion designed to extract false confessions, force the surrender of business interests and facilitate the seizure of her assets and projects in Iraq.

The lawsuit names incumbent Chief Justice Faiq Zidan, former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, members of the Hanna family and other associated defendants, including Nahro Qadir and Bishop Warda, who played interconnected roles in the broader conspiracy. According to the complaint, certain defendants facilitated or coordinated the initial kidnapping and extortion scheme, while others used political, judicial and commercial power to protect perpetrators, suppress investigations and continue efforts to deprive Ms. Saleem of her assets and legal rights.

The defendants' motions seek dismissal on jurisdictional and statutory grounds, arguing that the Virginia court lacks jurisdiction and that the claims under the Anti-Terrorism Act and Torture Victim Protection Act should not proceed.

Ms. Saleem's legal team rejects these arguments and maintains that the complaint clearly establishes both jurisdiction and liability under US law, contending that the defendants knowingly provided substantial support to terrorist and militia actors responsible for the kidnapping and torture, and that senior officials and associated actors continued to participate in an ongoing scheme of intimidation, retaliation and unlawful asset expropriation over many years, targeting an American residing in Virginia.

The filing further argues that the conduct extends well beyond an isolated criminal act and instead reflects a coordinated system involving militia violence, political influence, business coercion and judicial weaponisation.

Ms. Saleem's projects and assets in Iraq, collectively valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars, were progressively targeted through fabricated proceedings, misuse of state authority and coordinated interference by individuals connected to the Iraqi political and judicial establishment.

Robert Amsterdam, Founder and Managing Partner of Amsterdam & Partners LLP, which serves as international counsel to Ms. Saleem, states:

“This case concerns far more than one isolated kidnapping. The complaint details a coordinated campaign involving political figures, militia actors, and judicial authorities operating in tandem for more than a decade against an American citizen.

The defendants may now seek dismissal on technical grounds, but this will not make the allegations of torture, terrorism, extortion and the systematic misuse of state institutions to shield perpetrators and silence the victim disappear.

Ms. Saleemʼs case raises serious questions regarding the relationship between militia violence, corruption and judicial power in Iraq, and we are confident that these issues will receive full consideration before an American court."

Akiva Shapiro, Partner at Holtzman Vogel, which serves as U.S. counsel for Ms. Saleem, states:

“Sara Saleem showed extraordinary courage in standing up to powerful actors who, according to the complaint, relied on intimidation, violence and political influence to pursue their objectives.

Ms. Saleem was subjected to horrific abuse and a sustained campaign of retaliation, as alleged in her complaint. We look forward to presenting the full merits of the case before the Court."

Amsterdam & Partners LLP is an international law firm based in London and Washington, DC, specialising in political advocacy and human rights. For more information, please visit www.amsterdamandpartners.com.