US Faces Historic Lawsuit Over Airstrike Killings in Caribbean Waters
The US government is being sued by the families of two men killed in a US airstrike on suspected drug boats off the coast of Trinidad and Tobago. Chad Joseph, 26, and Rishi Samaroo, 41, were among five people returning from Venezuela when they were struck down by the drone-fired missile on October 14th.
The victims' families are seeking damages for wrongful death, backed by a team of attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Seton Hall University, and the Center for Constitutional Rights. In a statement released by the ACLU, Joseph's sister Sallycar Korasingh expressed outrage at the US government's actions: "If the US government believed Rishi had done anything wrong, it should have arrested, charged, and detained him, not murdered him."
The airstrike was the fifth authorized by former President Donald Trump in the Caribbean under his administration. The strikes have killed at least 126 people since September, with many experts labeling them as unlawful. In contrast, the US government claims that the targets are "combatants" in an armed conflict against narco-terrorists.
Critics argue that there is insufficient evidence to prove any of the victims were involved in organized crime or terrorism. The fact remains that the men killed in October had not been identified as associated with any specific organization, and it is unclear whether their boat was carrying illicit substances.
"This is uncharted water," stated Jonathan Hafetz, an attorney representing the families' case to The Guardian. "Never before has the government asserted this type of power...The US is assuming the prerogative to kill victims in international waters."
As concerns over civilian casualties mount, human rights advocates are sounding the alarm on these strikes, with many experts and lawmakers questioning the validity of these operations. The lawsuit filed by Joseph's and Samaroo's families marks a historic attempt to hold the government accountable for its actions under Trump's presidency.
The case raises significant questions about US authority in international waters and its willingness to engage in targeted killings in pursuit of anti-drug efforts.
The US government is being sued by the families of two men killed in a US airstrike on suspected drug boats off the coast of Trinidad and Tobago. Chad Joseph, 26, and Rishi Samaroo, 41, were among five people returning from Venezuela when they were struck down by the drone-fired missile on October 14th.
The victims' families are seeking damages for wrongful death, backed by a team of attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Seton Hall University, and the Center for Constitutional Rights. In a statement released by the ACLU, Joseph's sister Sallycar Korasingh expressed outrage at the US government's actions: "If the US government believed Rishi had done anything wrong, it should have arrested, charged, and detained him, not murdered him."
The airstrike was the fifth authorized by former President Donald Trump in the Caribbean under his administration. The strikes have killed at least 126 people since September, with many experts labeling them as unlawful. In contrast, the US government claims that the targets are "combatants" in an armed conflict against narco-terrorists.
Critics argue that there is insufficient evidence to prove any of the victims were involved in organized crime or terrorism. The fact remains that the men killed in October had not been identified as associated with any specific organization, and it is unclear whether their boat was carrying illicit substances.
"This is uncharted water," stated Jonathan Hafetz, an attorney representing the families' case to The Guardian. "Never before has the government asserted this type of power...The US is assuming the prerogative to kill victims in international waters."
As concerns over civilian casualties mount, human rights advocates are sounding the alarm on these strikes, with many experts and lawmakers questioning the validity of these operations. The lawsuit filed by Joseph's and Samaroo's families marks a historic attempt to hold the government accountable for its actions under Trump's presidency.
The case raises significant questions about US authority in international waters and its willingness to engage in targeted killings in pursuit of anti-drug efforts.
this is so messed up... like what even is happening over there? these people were just trying to make a living, or get back home, and the us just decides to blow them up outta nowhere. 
how can we trust that they're not just making it all up about narco-terrorists when we don't even know if the people they're targeting are involved? 
it's like the us is trying to play god over these innocent lives... and now they're suing them for killing them. 
what a travesty. shouldn't there be some sort of international law or something that says you can't just go around killing ppl in the middle of the ocean? 
This is getting too outta control, fam 
. I mean, what even is the criteria here? "Combatants" or just some dude with a boat who's not doing anything wrong? It's wild to think that the US is essentially deciding who lives and dies on international waters without any real oversight 
. We need more answers here before we can even start discussing whether this is a "prerogative" or not 
just heard about this lawsuit against the US over airstrike killins in Caribbean waters & I gotta say, it's super worrying 
. It raises some major questions about the US government's authority in international waters & its willingness to take matters into its own hands without proper accountability 
.
. That's a whole lotta lives lost, and it's not like we're talkin' about some isolated incident here 
. It's more like a pattern of behavior that's got experts & lawmakers questioning the validity of these operations 
.
, I'm thinkin', how can we not prioritize human life over some perceived threat to national security? 
. We need to start havin' more nuanced conversations about the use of force & the accountability that comes with it 
. This lawsuit is a step in the right direction, but we gotta keep pushin' for change 
.
. And now these families are trying to sue the US government for damages which is just fair, you know? I don’t think it’s too much to ask for some accountability when lives are lost like that 
. And now we're seeing this historic lawsuit come forward, trying to hold the government accountable for its actions 
That's not justice, that's just reckless abandon. And what really gets me is that the US government thinks they can just claim these people were "combatants" in an armed conflict without actually having any proof. 
It's like they're playing a game of "I'm innocent until proven guilty", but when it comes to actual evidence, they're like "oh, we don't need that". 
.
. that's not how it works... or at least, that's what i thought 
. this lawsuit is definitely a step in the right direction, though 
. we need more voices speaking out against these kinds of operations and demanding some real answers 
.
, they're just trying to protect themselves from narco-terrorists who are taking over the Caribbean 
. The fact is, the US has to take action when it feels threatened and these strikes are just one way for them to stay ahead of the game. Let the victims' families sue, but at the end of the day, someone's gotta keep the peace in those waters 
. It's time for our leaders to be held accountable for their actions, especially when it comes to something as serious as targeted killings 
I can only imagine how devastating it must be for Sallycar Korasingh and her family to lose two loved ones in such a tragic and senseless manner 
This lawsuit is a huge step forward in holding those in power accountable, and I can only hope that it brings some semblance of peace and closure to the families 
.
and i'm low-key loving every minute of it 
.