The Islamic Society of Boston has dropped its defamation lawsuit against an Israel advocacy group. The lawsuit had charged the David Project, along with several media organizations and an anti-terrorist research group, with publicizing false accusations tying Islamic Society leaders to extremist groups.The society said it was withdrawing the suit because a lawsuit backed by the David Project threatening its right to complete a $20 million mosque will not be pursued.The bitter legal battle has strained relations between Boston’s Jewish community organizations and the society, leading to a call for mediation by some religious leaders and Jewish groups.The David Project will continue to pursue a separate public records case against the Boston Redevelopment Authority, according to its lawyer, Jeffrey Robbins.”This represents a complete vindication of the reporting that was done on the Islamic Society of Boston and a rebuff to those who thought that they could intimidate people into silence,” Robbins wrote in an e-mail to JTA.
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