CITY, GUNMAN SUED BY LAX VICTIMS.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

The families of two San Fernando Valley residents gunned down in a shooting rampage at LAX on July 4, 2002, filed suit Monday, seeking $200 million from the city and the Egyptian immigrant who killed them.

The lawsuit seeks $100 million from the city of Los Angeles for failing to provide adequate security at the El Al Israeli Airlines terminal area at Los Angeles International Airport and another $100 million from the estate of the gunman, Hesham Mohamed Hadayet, 41, of Irvine.

``We want to send a message to terrorists that they can't come to this country and shoot people without there being repercussions,'' said attorney Richard I. Fine, who filed the suits on behalf of the victims and their families.

``We are using the federal government's anti-terrorism statutes that allow us to proceed civilly against Hadayet and his family.''

The legal action against the city cited its failure to have police officers deployed inside the Tom Bradley International Terminal at the airport.

Fine said he had reports from the Los Angeles Police Department and Airport Police detailing meetings over the need to tighten security at LAX during the Independence Day holiday.

``But it was up to private security guards and a citizen to stop this man,'' Fine said. ``There was not one police officer in the terminal.''

Fine had filed a claim against the city in January - the first step to filing a legal action - and it was rejected.

Eric Moses, a spokesman for the City Attorney's Office, said he could not comment.

``Unfortunately, this was a tragic incident, but we can't say anything until we have seen a copy of the lawsuit,'' Moses said.

The incident occurred when Hadayet, carrying two guns and a knife, sprayed a dozen bullets inside the second-floor ticketing area of El Al before being shot dead by private security guards from El Al.

Victoria Hen, 25, of Chatsworth, a ticket agent for El Al, was killed, along with Jacob Aminov, 46, of North Hollywood, a diamond importer who was at the airport to see off friends leaving for Israel.

Fine's legal action is on behalf of Aminov's widow and her children, and the Hen family.

A separate legal action was filed on behalf of Arie Golan, 54, of North Hollywood, who fought with Hadayet during the rampage, and Michael Shabtai, 49, of North Hollywood, and Moti Harari of Valley Village. They claim they suffered emotional trauma from the incident.

Rick Orlov, [phone]

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com

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2 photos

Photo:

(1) AMINOV

(2) HEN