Glenn Beck is fending off a defamation charge brought by a 20-year-old Saudi Arabian student who the conservative media icon accused of funding the Boston Marathon bombings.
Abdul Rahman Ali Alharbi, who was injured in the attacks, filed a federal lawsuit Friday in Boston against Mr. Beck and his companies, saying the media mogul damaged his reputation by claiming he participated in the attacks.
The plaintiff said that Mr. Beck continued to accuse him even after he had been cleared by authorities of any wrongdoing.
“[Beck] repeatedly questioned the motives of federal officials in failing to pursue or detain Alharbi and repeatedly suggested that Alharbi had engaged in wrongful and criminal activity … but was being protected by the wrongful acts of others covering up those crimes on his behalf,” the complaint states.
Mr. Beck called Mr. Alharbi the “money man” behind the bombings during repeated broadcasts, the suit claims.
Mr. Alharbi said he has subsequently fielded “numerous messages, Internet postings and other communications” that accuse him of being a “murderer, child killer and terrorist.”
He is seeking punitive damages related to his defamation charge. Mr. Beck hasn’t yet responded.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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