The state of Virginia, backed by 21 other states, urged a federal court not to dismiss a case brought by victims’ families of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, accusing a Virginia nonprofit of assisting and supporting the terror group.
A group of plaintiffs composed of victims of the Oct. 7 attack, family members of those killed and citizens who have been displaced by the attack that claimed the lives of roughly 1,200 and saw the kidnapping of hundreds of others sued in May.
The complaint argues that the AJP Educational Foundation — also known as American Muslims for Palestine and National Students for Justice in Palestine — is “Hamas’s propaganda division in the United States.” According to the suit, the nonprofit organization was founded by senior Hamas officials and that the SJP chapters use “propaganda to intimidate, convince, and recruit uninformed, misguided, and impressionable college students to serve as foot soldiers for Hamas on campus and beyond.”
It also accuses AJP of issuing a toolkit in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack calling for resistance including violence.
“AMP and NSJP enacted the NSJP Toolkit as written and beset their army of college students on American streets and college campuses.
Through threats, violence and vocal support for “globalizing” attacks against Jewish people and anyone who dares to support them, AMP and NSJP have intentionally instigated a mass culture of fear, threats, violence, and overt hatred to intimidate politicians and institutions for Hamas’s substantial benefit,” the lawsuit reads.
It seeks financial damages from the organizations for causing emotional distress.
The nonprofit moved to dismiss the case in court papers, arguing that “[American Muslims for Palestine] is not responsible for the October 7 attacks. Plaintiffs’ lawsuit is directed at the wrong party.”
Virginia, along with West Virginia, Texas, Utah, South Dakota, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Louisiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Indiana, Georgia, Florida, Alaska, Arkansas and Alabama asked the federal court not to grant the dismissal in a filing last week with the court.
“Virginia stands firmly against those who provide support to terrorist organizations, and we are committed to ensuring that justice is served,” said Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican.
“While no amount of financial compensation can undo the horrors of the October 7 attacks, [the Anti-Terrorism Act] ensures that victims can seek some form of justice by holding supporters of terrorism financially accountable. These victims should be allowed to have their day in court instead of being outright dismissed.”
A lawyer representing AJP Educational Foundation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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