Peloni: Interestingly, Florida has not provided their own amicus brief on this case…
A Texas-led legal action argues that groups accused of aligning with Hamas should face accountability under US anti terrorism laws.
TheJ.ca Staff | The J.Ca | Jan 7, 2025
AUSTIN — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed an amicus brief in support of victims of Hamas terrorism, targeting American Muslims for Palestine and other radical groups that authorities allege have aligned themselves with Hamas and its ideology. The brief, announced January 6, 2026, forms part of a multistate legal effort intended to ensure that US anti-terrorism laws are enforced against those accused of providing material or organizational support to designated terrorist entities.
According to the Office of the Attorney General, Paxton joined a coalition of states in filing the brief on behalf of survivors of Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack in Israel, family members of those murdered, civilians injured during the assault, and individuals displaced by Hamas’s ongoing terrorism. The brief supports claims brought under the federal Anti Terrorism Act.
The filing focuses on statements and activities attributed to American Muslims for Palestine and National Students for Justice in Palestine. According to the press release, on October 8, 2023, the groups publicly declared that they were “part of a Unity Intifada” under Hamas’s “unified command,” a statement made one day after Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel.
The Attorney General’s office states that the declaration came “in the wake of Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attacks” and argues that such statements expose the organizations to civil liability when victims pursue claims under US law.
“Radical Islamic terrorist groups like Hamas must be decimated and dismantled, and that includes their domestic supporting branches,” Paxton said in a statement released by his office. “Terrorism relies on complex networks and intermediaries, and the law must be enforced against those who knowingly provide material support.”
Paxton added that his office would continue to pursue accountability. “My office will continue to defend Americans who have been brutally affected by terrorism and ensure accountability under the law,” he said.
Legal Context and Prior Designations
The amicus brief follows earlier legal actions by Paxton related to terrorism designations. According to the Attorney General’s office, Texas previously pursued the designation of the Muslim Brotherhood and Council on American-Islamic Relations as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations under state law.
The January 6 filing is positioned as part of a broader effort to confront what Texas officials describe as both foreign and domestic terrorism networks. The Office of the Attorney General stated that it is “committed to dismantling terrorism, both foreign and domestic,” emphasizing that the brief was filed to support victims seeking justice through the courts.
Focus on Civil Accountability
Unlike criminal prosecutions, the legal strategy highlighted in the brief centers on civil litigation. Under the Anti-Terrorism Act, victims of designated terrorist organizations may pursue damages from entities and individuals accused of knowingly supporting those organizations.
Paxton’s office argues that enforcing civil liability is a necessary component of counter terrorism efforts, particularly when terrorist activity depends on financial, logistical, or ideological support networks operating within democratic societies.
The Attorney General’s filing supports victims seeking to establish that organizations operating in the United States can be held responsible when they publicly align themselves with terrorist movements or endorse violence.
Broader Implications
The case comes amid heightened scrutiny of pro-Hamas rhetoric and activity following the October 7 massacre in Israel, which left more than 1,200 people dead, the majority of them civilians, and resulted in hundreds of hostages being taken into Gaza. Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada, the European Union, and Israel.
For Jewish and pro-Israel communities, the legal action is being closely watched as a test of whether US institutions are prepared to confront not only foreign terrorist groups, but also alleged domestic support structures that legitimize or glorify violence.
The Virginia and Iowa-led brief supported by Paxton is available through the Texas Attorney General’s office. The outcome of the litigation could have broader implications for how US courts interpret material support, public declarations of alignment, and civil liability connected to terrorism.
The Office of the Attorney General has not indicated a timeline for judicial review but emphasized that the filing represents an ongoing commitment to enforcing existing anti terrorism statutes and supporting victims of Hamas terrorism through the legal system.
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