Muslim victim of Boston Marathon bombing sues Glenn Beck for defamation and slander

A Muslim victim of the Boston Marathon bombing has sued Glenn Beck for defamation and slander after the talk show host accused him of funding the attacks.

Race spectator Abdulrahman Alharbi filed a federal lawsuit against Beck and his companies, The Blaze Inc. and Mercury Radio Arts, and his radio syndicator, Premier Radio Networks.

The 20-year-old Alharbi was injured in the April 15 bombings, questioned as a witness, and consented to a search of his apartment.

Authorities quickly determined that Alharbi, a Saudi national of Middle Eastern descent, had no involvement in the attacks.

But Beck “repeatedly and falsely” identified Alharbi as an active participant in the bombings, the suit claims.

The lawsuit also claims Beck questioned the motives of federal authorities who declined to arrest or detain the college student, reported Courthouse News.

“Let me just say this to those at the highest echelons of government,” Beck said April 21, according to World Net Daily. “We know who this Saudi national is, and it is in your best interest and the best interest of integrity and trust for the people of United States of America – it’s best coming from you, not coming from a news organization. It’s best coming from you. You have until (April 22). We have information on who this man is, (and) we know he is a very bad, bad, bad man.”

Alharbi has received numerous messages calling him a “murderer, child killer, and terrorist” based on Beck’s statements, the suit claims.

“Those statements were made widely and publicly,” the suit claims. “The statements were false and did grave injury to the plaintiff."

The suit seeks punitive damages for defamation with malice.

[Image via Gage Skidmore, Creative Commons licensed]