Terror victim’s parents sue to recover damages

The parents of an American-born yeshiva student who was shot to death in 1996 at a West Bank bus stop have sued to recover the $156 million in damages they were awarded by a U.S. jury in a landmark verdict.

Stanley and Joyce Boim filed a federal lawsuit in Chicago against two U.S. Palestinian groups based in the city — American Muslims for Palestine and Americans for Justice in Palestine Educational Foundation — who they claim are the “alter egos” of three Islamic fundraising groups that were found guilty in December 2004 of funding the terrorism that led to the death of their 17-year-old son, David, near the city of Beit El.

One of the Boims’ lawyers, Stephen Landes, said that the family has received only a small piece of the award because the defendants claimed they had ceased operations and did not have the money to pay the judgment. Landed said the groups named in the suit formed shortly afterward, with many of the same leaders.

“The Anti-Terrorism Act can’t be set aside simply by rebranding yourself,” he told Reuters.