The war against Iran prompts me to revisit the killing of Lafayette native Lex Trahan, 19, by Hezbollah in Beirut, Lebanon, on Oct. 23, 1983 — including our successful civil lawsuit against Iran for the Trahan family, resulting in a $50 million judgment by a U.S. federal court.

Background: A truck filled with 2,500 pounds of explosives broke through U.S. barricades. The detonation killed 241 servicemen — the deadliest post-World War II attack on Americans overseas. As of 2025, over 18,000 claimants (representing thousands of individual judgments) have been deemed eligible for compensation from the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund — a significant majority of these claims stemming from terrorist actions involving Iran. Courts have awarded over $150 billion in judgments, yet only $7 billion has been paid to victims.

Hopefully, Iranian assets will be seized forthwith and all of the judgments satisfied.

WARREN PERRIN

Lafayette