The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on Monday to hear Sudan's appeal of $314.7 million in damages awarded in a lawsuit seeking compensation for American sailors injured in 2000 in the deadly al Qaeda bombing of the Navy
destroyer USS Cole in a Yemeni port.
The damages were levied by default because Sudan did not appear before a lower court to defend itself against allegations that it provided support to the Islamist militants. Sudan contends that it had not been properly notified of the lawsuit, in violation of U.S. and international law.