Boim v. Quranic Literacy Foundation

​Recommendation and Report

On May 13, 1996, Amjad Hinawi, a Hamas terrorist operating in Israel and the Occupied Territories, shot at a group of students who were waiting for a bus. One of those students was David Boim, a Brooklyn-born citizen of both the United States and Israel, who was living at the time in Jerusalem with his parents, both Israeli citizens and United States nationals. In the attack, David was shot in the head and killed. A Palestinian Authority court convicted Mr. Hinawi of participating in Boim's murder, and sentenced him to ten years in prison on February 17, 1998.

On May 12, 2000, David Boim's parents sued Mr. Hinawi, along with another terrorist, and various organizations and one individual they allege funded and otherwise supported the attack. Specifically, the Boims named as defendants the Quranic Literacy Institute, The Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, the Islamic Association for Palestine and the American Muslim Society, the America Middle Eastern League for Palestine, the United Association for Studies and Research, and Mohammed Salah, under 18 U.S.C §2333, which provides that "[a]ny national of the United States injured in his person... by reason of an act of international terrorism, or his estate, survivors or heirs, may sue therefor... and shall recover threefold the damages he or she sustains and the cost of the suit, including attorney's fees."

The Court recommends that the district court order Mr. Hinawi to pay damages to the Boims in the amount of $156 million. The Court further recommends that the district court find that Mr. Hinawi is jointly and severally liable, along with HLF, IAP/AMS, QLI, Mohammed Salah, UASR and AMELP, for the amount of the damage award.