Lawsuit Filed Against Haqqani Network and The Taliban Over Acts of International Terrorism
Motley Rice, one of the nation’s largest plaintiffs’ litigation firms, has filed a multicount lawsuit on behalf of Caitlan Coleman and her family, against the Haqqani Network (HQN) and the Taliban. Filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the lawsuit seeks to hold the two Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) accountable for the unimaginable suffering endured by the Coleman family during five years of brutal captivity.
Anti-Terrorism Act Litigation
Filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act, the lawsuit addresses alleged acts of international terrorism, assault and battery, false imprisonment and intentional infliction of severe emotional distress. The Haqqani Network and the Taliban are both designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) organizations by the U.S. government.
“Caitlin’s life will never be the same. She will constantly battle the physical and psychological impacts of her captivity. Even worse, her children who were born while being held hostage will endure and carry this trauma with them for the rest of their lives. The atrocities they endured at the hands of the Haqqani Network and the Taliban are unconscionable. We are committed to holding these groups accountable for their actions," said Motley Rice attorney Michael Elsner.
Kidnapped and Imprisoned
In 2012, Caitlan Coleman was kidnapped in Afghanistan while traveling with her then-husband during a backpacking trip through Central Asia. After spending a few weeks in Afghan government-controlled areas, the couple headed to Kabul. Shortly after leaving U.S. checkpoints, their taxi was intercepted by men armed with assault rifles. At the time of her kidnapping, Coleman was approximately seven months pregnant.
“Caitlan has persevered through remarkable hardship and is now using her strength and her voice to help others while continuing to fight for her family,” said Motley Rice attorney Annie Kouba. “I am honored to represent her and her family in these important efforts.”
The Trauma of Captivity
The complaint alleges that, during their captivity, which lasted from October 10, 2012 to October 11, 2017, the family endured extreme conditions and lived in constant fear. During her captivity, Caitlan gave birth to three children and suffered a forced miscarriage. The family is said to have been subjected to isolation, physical and psychological abuse, and constant terror, all alleged to compel compliance with their captors' demands.
The lawsuit also brings a claim on behalf of Caitlan’s mother, Lynda Coleman, who tirelessly advocated for her daughter and their safe return. “Nothing will compare to the gratitude I have for the safe return of my daughter and grandchildren. The years spent in constant fear and uncertainty were a daily nightmare for my family and me. No family should have to endure the relentless worry and feelings of helplessness caused by this type of terror,” stated Lynda upon filing the suit.
The lawsuit further alleges that the Haqqani Network and the Taliban exploited the Coleman family’s captivity as leverage to further their terrorist objectives. The defendants used the family as a bargaining tool to coerce other nations, including the United States, Canada and Afghanistan, into prisoner exchanges and to exert political pressure. The family was ultimately rescued on October 11, 2017, following a confrontation between their captors and the Pakistani military.
Plaintiff Caitlan Coleman stated, “I am seeking what justice I can for the years of normalcy my children and I lost while being held by the Haqqani Network and Taliban. Three of my children were born in captivity and began their lives in those circumstances. It is important to me to stand up and send a message to terrorist forces abroad – holding Americans hostage is terrorism, and it cannot come without consequences. If there are not repercussions for these criminal and abusive actions, this could be seen as an incentive to do this to other Americans in the future. My thoughts are always with those victims that are still being held by terrorist forces around the world.”