Us Judge Awards Terror Victim's Parents $156m

[Chitah]

US judge awards terror victim's parents $156m.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

The parents of an American teenager killed by gunmen in the West Bank won US$156 million ( 117 million) from three Islamic groups and an alleged Hamas fund-raiser, one of the first jury awards against institutions based in the United States accused of supporting terrorism.

A federal court jury set US$52 million ( 39 million) in damages Wednesday in the suit brought by the parents of 17-year-old David Boim, who was shot near the Israeli settlement of Beit El. US Magistrate Arlander Keys tripled the amount in accord with US anti-terrorism law.

The Boim case was the first in which jurors awarded damages from US-based charities accused of bankrolling Hamas, according to Boim attorney Nathan Lewin.

It was a fresh blow to a group of Islamic charities and others who have seen their assets frozen and in some cases found themselves under federal indictment for allegedly funding terrorist groups as part of the post-September 11 war on terrorism.

Joyce and Stanley Boim, who moved their family from New York to Jerusalem in 1985 for religious reasons and have long fought the case through the courts, were elated.

"I finally have justice for David," Joyce Boim told reporters. "He's up there, smiling down."

Before the trial started, the judge found the Texas-based Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, the Islamic Association for Palestine and alleged Hamas fund-raiser Mohammed Salah liable in Boim's death.

The jury found that the Quranic Literacy Institute of suburban Oak Lawn, a group that translates Islamic religious texts, also was responsible for the 1996 shooting.

Both sides said a hard-fought appeal battle was guaranteed.

Amer Haleem, secretary of the Quranic Literacy Institute, left the courthouse saying the case was part of a wave of anti-Muslim hysteria. He promised there would be "a vigorous appeal."

Boim attorney Stephen Landes also anticipated more court fights ahead. "It may wind up in the US Supreme Court," he said.

US law allows victims of overseas terrorist groups to sue American organizations that finance them. The Boims maintain Islamic charities have been raising money for guns and explosives in this country while using charity as a cover.

Boim attorneys said they hoped the verdict and other cases being filed under the same law would help to choke off the flow of money to terrorist groups in the Mideast.

The government already had frozen the assets of Holy Land, Quranic Literacy and Salah. Salah and Holy Land are both currently under federal indictment on charges of stemming from their alleged support of Hamas.

There is little likelihood that the Boims will collect the full US$156 million ( 117 million). Not only are the assets of three defendants frozen by the government, but federal prosecutors are asking the court in Texas to order Holy Land to forfeit its assets.

"If there's any money there, we'll get it," Landes said.

Lawyers for Holy Land, Islamic Association for Palestine and Salah boycotted the trial. Veteran Chicago defense attorney John Beal, representing Quranic Literacy, was ordered to be on hand but declined to address the jury or cross-examine witnesses. He maintained that Keys didn't give his group enough time to mount a defense.

Holy Land attorney James Fennerty and Salah attorney Matthew Piers did not immediately return telephone calls seeking comment on the verdict Wednesday.

[melodius]

J'attends avec gourmandise les procès de victimes de Tsahal contre les charities judéo-américaines.

AIPAC me parait un bon endroit où commencer…