Georgia Attorney General Joins 21 States in Supporting Lawsuit Against Organizations Linked to Hamas

Attorney General Chris Carr has filed an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit brought under the Anti-Terrorism Act by survivors of the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack and the families of those murdered by Hamas. The lawsuit aims to hold the AJP Educational Foundation, Inc., also known as American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), and the National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP) accountable for allegedly providing material support to Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization.

AMP and NSJP are seeking dismissal of the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. In the brief, Carr and 21 other attorneys general argue that dismissing these claims before discovery would hinder victims’ ability to obtain compensation and prevent organizations like AMP and NSJP from being held accountable for their actions.

“All options must be made available to ensure that victims of international and domestic terrorism are protected and justice is served,” Carr stated. “In Georgia, we’re working to strengthen our laws to include criminal penalties for those who collaborate with Hamas and other designated foreign terrorist organizations. We’re proud to support the survivors of the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack and the families of those brutally murdered by Hamas, and we will continue to stand against antisemitism wherever it occurs.”

The brief emphasizes that the Anti-Terrorism Act provides a civil cause for victims of international terrorism, allowing them to seek monetary damages from those providing material support to terrorist groups. The plaintiffs argue that this act may be their only legal recourse against AMP and NSJP.

The lawsuit claims that AMP has a long history of material support for Hamas, tracing back to predecessor organizations such as the Holy Land Foundation (HLF) and the Islamic Association of Palestine (IAP), whose board members were convicted of providing millions in support to Hamas.

Leaders from HLF and IAP, including AMP’s Executive Director, formed AMP after the dissolution of those organizations. The lawsuit alleges that AMP, NSJP, and their affiliates have continued the activities of these defunct organizations by engaging in propaganda and recruitment for Hamas.

Hamas’ charter explicitly calls for supporters to engage in propaganda on its behalf, and in response to the October 7 attack, Hamas leadership encouraged international supporters to mobilize. The NSJP reportedly released a “Day of Resistance Toolkit,” which allegedly instructs members on how to support Hamas.

Carr is joined by the attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia in this filing.