Telecomms giant MTN is facing deeper legal scrutiny in the United States over allegations involving both the Taliban in Afghanistan and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Americans killed or injured in attacks in Afghanistan and Iraq accuse MTN of providing assistance that ultimately benefited the groups responsible.
A federal judge in New York has rejected MTN’s attempt to reconsider an earlier ruling allowing parts of the case to proceed and also refused permission for an immediate appeal.
That clears the way for discovery, when both sides can demand documents and other evidence.
MTN has expressed deep sympathy for those injured or who lost loved ones but also denied wrongdoing, stressing there was no finding of liability as yet.
In Afghanistan, plaintiffs allege MTN made protection payments to the Taliban and shut down cellphone towers at the group’s request, allegedly making it harder for US-led forces to track Taliban fighters.
A separate strand concerns MTN’s investment in Iranian mobile operator Irancell. Plaintiffs allege that relationship provided assistance benefiting Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and allied militant groups implicated in attacks on Americans in Iraq.
The court has not determined that any of these allegations are true.
MTN says the discovery process would allow it to produce evidence challenging the claims, maintaining it was not a culpable participant in the attacks and would continue to defend the case vigorously.
AUDIO | Sherwin Bryce-Pease reports:
