A Lebanese University known as The American University of Beirut (AUB) is expected to pay $700, 000 in order to settle a United States’ Lawsuit over the allegations that the University rendered material support to other entities which are linked to Hezbollah; this is according to the US authorities.
On last Friday, it was confirmed in a statement made by the American University of Beirut that it was to settle the lawsuit, this is because this particular learning institution had violated one of the term of grants that it had received from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
On Thursday, announcement was made by the US Attorney’s office in Manhattan concerning the deal. In the announcement, it was clearly stated that AUB would be expected to make a payment of $700,000 to the US government and after that, the university is required to take its time and revise its internal policies in order to ensure future compliance with the US law.
According to the acting Manhattan US Attorney Joon H Kim, the American University of Beirut has been receiving money from United States Agency of International Development for a period of four years but it has failed to take reasonable action to ensure against providing material support to the other entities on the prohibited list from the Treasury Department.
“With today’s settlement, the University is being made to pay a financial penalty for its conduct, and one of the important things is that it has admitted to its conduct and agreed without being forced to put proper precautions in place in order to ensure that this mistake does not take place again.
Media Training
As per the Civil lawsuit, the AUB is lawfully charged with violating the US law by providing media training services between the year 2000 and 2009 to representatives of other two media outlets namely: Al-Nour Radio and Al-Manar television- under United States sanctions for their ties and Hezbollah.
In addition, the AUB is also accused by the civil lawsuit of listing the Hezbollah-linked Jihad al-Binaa under the US sanctions, on the university’s NGO database.
Hezbollah is recognized as a Shia political and military organization whose members are found in Lebanon’s parliament and government and are listed among the terrorist groups in the US and all the entities linked to it are also classified under sanctions.
In a statement made by the AUB, the university acknowledged the accusations made against it but strongly insisted that the university does not agree that its conduct was intentional, knowing or reckless.
Apart from welcoming the settlement, the AUB said that it would conduct additional of faculty and staff as far as US law is concerned and expected to go forward.
In 1866, the American University of Beirut (AUB) was founded. This university is considered to be among the leading Universities in the Middle East.