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Extracted Text (OCR)
794
court shall decline to hear a claim under
this paragraph
(A) if the foreign state was not desig-
nated as a state sponsor of terrorism
28 U.S.C. § 1605(a)(7) (emphasis added).
The parties agree that the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia has not been designated a
state sponsor of terrorism. See 28 U.S.C.
§ 1605(a)(7)(A) (explaining there is no ju-
risdiction if “the foreign state was not
designated as a state sponsor of terrorism
under ... the Export Administration Act
of 1979 ... or ... the Foreign Assistance
Act of 1961”). Thus, this exception does
not provide an exception to immunity for
any of the Defendants raising the FSIA
defense here.
3. Torts Exception
In relevant part, the torts exception de-
prives a foreign sovereign of immunity in
actions:
in which money damages are sought
against a foreign state for personal inju-
ry or death, or damage to or loss of
property, occurring in the United States
and caused by the tortious act or omis-
sion of that foreign state or of any offi-
cial or employee of that foreign state
while acting within the scope of his of-
fice or employment; except this [excep-
tion] shall not apply to -
(A) any claim based upon the exercise
or performance or the failure to exer-
cise or perform a discretionary func-
tion regardless of whether the discre-
tion be abused.
28 U.S.C. § 1605(a)(5). Second Circuit
law instructs that district courts must de-
termine whether the defendant’s alleged
acts were tortious under the laws of New
York and, if so, whether the defendant’s
acts were discretionary. Robinson, 269
F.3d at 142 (“If those activities could not
render the Malaysian government liable
349 FEDERAL SUPPLEMENT, 2d SERIES
for a tort under New York law, then it
remained immune under § 1605(a)(5).”).
In the event that the act is tortious and
the acts were not discretionary, the alleged
tortfeasor is subject to suit under the
FSIA.
[19] The FSIA’s discretionary function
exception replicates the discretionary func-
tion exception found in the Federal Tort
Claims Act. See 28 U.S.C. § 2680(a).
Courts have found both exceptions are “in-
tended to preserve immunity for ‘decisions
grounded in social, economic, and political
policy.”” Marchisella v. Gov't of Japan,
No. 02 Civ. 100238(DC), 2004 WL 307248, at
*2 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 17, 2004) (citing United
States v. S.A. Empresa de Viacao Aerea
Rio Grandense (Varig Airlines), 467 US.
797, 814, 104 S.Ct. 2755, 81 L.Ed.2d 660
(1984) (interpreting FTCA)). Generally,
acts are discretionary if they are per-
formed at the planning level of govern-
ment, as opposed to the operational level.
Kline v. Kaneko, 685 F.Supp. 386, 392
(S.D.N.Y.1988) (finding decision to expel
plaintiff from Mexico was product of en-
forcement of immigration laws and there-
fore a discretionary function); Marchisel-
la, 2004 WL 307248, at *2 (finding decision
regarding placement of a water hose on a
ship was an operational function and there-
fore not discretionary and not protected by
the FSIA); Napolitano v. Tishman
Constr. Corp., No. 96 Civ. 4402(SJ), 1998
WL 102789, at *4 (E.D.N.Y. Feb. 26, 1998)
(finding purchasing consulate buildings
and hiring contractor to renovate is a plan-
ning function and therefore discretionary).
Defendants argue that the Court should
not even consider the torts exception for
two reasons. First, they claim that for
this exception to apply, the entire tort
must have occurred in the United States,
which Defendants argue is not the case
here. Second, Defendants claim that
Plaintiffs impermissibly seek to contort a
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