May 16, 2000 (Iviews.com) - One of several Muslim charities named in a $600 million lawsuit by the parents of an Israeli-American teen-ager killed in 1996 responded this week to accusations that it supports "terrorist activities."

The lawsuit aims to hold Holy Land Foundation, and several other Muslim charities and individuals, responsible for the death of their son, David Boim, in a 1996 shooting incident in the West Bank.

A copy of the lawsuit, obtained by Iviews.com, said Boim was shot and killed while waiting with other students at a bus stop. Boim, who held citizenship in both Israel and the United States, was in Israel studying at a yeshiva. The suit further describes the trial in which Amjad Hinawi was found guilty of the drive-by shooting in a Palestinian Authority court. The second alleged assailant, Khalil Tawfiq Al-Sharif, was killed in a subsequent suicide bombing, according to the suit. The paperwork contends that both were Hamas members.

Boim's parents accuse Holy Land Foundation and several other Muslim charities of funding "Hamas Terrorists." The Quranic Literacy Institute, Islamic Association for Palestine, American Muslim Society, American Middle Eastern League, United Association for Studies and Research, Mohammed Abdul Hamid Khalil Salah, Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook, are also named in the suit.

The parents accuse these groups and individuals of soliciting, financing and providing material support for the attack. The Boims are also suing Amjad Hinawi and the estate of Tawfiq Al-Sharif.

The plaintiffs bring the action under the new federal Anti-terrorism law, enacted by the Clinton administration in 1990. This will be the first time the new law will be tested in a civil proceeding.

"The front organizations solicit contributions directly through mosques in heavily Islamic areas in Illinois and Texas. HLF also solicits donations over the internet," reported the suit.

A spokesperson for The Holy Land Foundation, Dalell Mohammed, said the accusations are completely false.

"Holy Land is in the business of helping refugees and people in need. We don't condone any sort of violence as we are a humanitarian organization," said Mohammed.

Mohammed also accused an attorney for the plaintiff of underhanded tactics. "A copy of the lawsuit was sent to two reporters before we even received a copy. We learned about the lawsuit last Friday, when we received a call from a reporter of the Dallas Morning News," Mohammed said.

She added that as of Monday morning, the organization had not yet been served with the lawsuit.

Calls made by Iviews.com to Thomas Carr and Nathan Lewin, the two attorneys representing the Boims, were not returned.