In an important ruling, the Seventh Circuit overturned a $156 million award against the Holy Land Foundation charity for their alleged involvement in the terrorist death of 17-year-old David Boim, an American teenager killed in the West Bank.
The court found that the trial judge had failed to require the showing of a causal link between the charity and the attack.
The Boims had sued the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development; the American Muslim Society, also known as the Islamic Association for Palestine; the Quranic Literacy Institute of suburban Oak Lawn; and an alleged Hamas fundraiser.
Boim, a yeshiva student, was gunned down in 1996 while waiting with other students at a bus stop in Beit El, on the West Bank.
The huge award was the result of the use of a treble damage provision under the anti-terrorism law. which allows American victims of terrorism overseas to seek damages against organizations that raise funds for terrorists in the U.S.
Recently, those associated with the Holy Land Foundation has received favorable rulings in addition to this civil case. In October, the government’s case against former HLF officials ended in a mistrial Monday after the jurors deadlocked on most of the counts. Mohammad El-Mezain, the Holy Land’s original chairman and endowments director — was acquitted on most of the counts by a unanimous jury.
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