Kuwait invasion airline battle back in court

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

An airline battle sparked by Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait in 1990 returned to the High Court in London today - six years after the emirate won a judgment against Iraqi Airways which now stands at 1.2 billion dollars.

The award was compensation after Iraq seized the Kuwait Airways fleet with spare parts worth millions.

Stephen Nathan QC, representing the Iraq company whose first flight to Britain for 20 years on April 25 ended with the pilot losing his passport at Gatwick Airport, told Mr Justice David Steel, the same judge who heard the original case: "Your Lordship might have thought this case had gone away but like great music hall artistes we are back on the stage again."

The barrister explained that after reaching an agreement with Kuwait Airways, Captain Kifah Hassan Jabbar, who is the director general of Iraqi Airways, had his passport returned and was now free to leave the UK.

In return, Iraqi Airways is providing a statement as to its worldwide assets which will be lodged with the court.

This will be used by Kuwait Airways in its continuing fight for compensation.

Six years ago the High Court authorised the seizure of Iraqi Airways assets to cover the judgment debt.