JEDDAH — An unprecedented lawsuit filed in New York City on Wednesday alleges that Qatar secretly provided financial support for a number of terror attacks that killed Americans. The lawsuit filed by American attorney Steven Perles seeks compensation for the victims' families as it claims that many Qatari financial institutions, owned by Qatar's royal family, gave millions of dollars to Palestinian militant organizations that allegedly carried out terror attacks, killing American citizens. According to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by the Washington Free Beacon, several Qatari charities also used this funding channel to illegally fund these militant groups with the money necessary to orchestrate and execute the attacks. The lawsuit that invokes US Anti-Terrorism Act alleges: "Qatar co-opted several institutions that it dominates and controls to funnel coveted US dollars to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad under the false guise of charitable donations." One of the litigants of the lawsuit is the family of Taylor Force, an American military veteran killed by Hamas in 2016. The lawsuit specifically mentions Qatar Charity, a charitable organization founded in 1992 as Qatar Charitable Society. The organization allegedly served as "a key funding source for international terrorists" and is also believed to have sponsored deceased terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden, according to Singapore-based International Business Times. Qatar Charity allegedly worked with Masraf Al Rayan Bank and Qatar National Bank to finance Hamas and PIJ with millions of dollars, according to the lawsuit. Both banks "were essential to provide access to the US financial system to obtain the US dollars needed to sustain Hamas's and PIJ's terrorist activities," the lawsuit states. Masraf Al Rayan bank is currently facing a probe in Britain for helping Qatar Charity send money to Hamas and PIJ. After funneling the charitable donations through banks located in New York, the money was allegedly transferred to Qatar Charity's accounts at the Bank of Palestine and the Islamic Bank in Ramallah, where the funds were then distributed to affiliates of Hamas and PIJ.
