From: Subject: Islamic charity leaders get 65-year jail terms in USrAel
http://www.reuters.com/article/featuredCrisis/idUSN27227774 Islamic charity leaders get 65-year jail terms Wed May 27, 2009 7:50pm EDT HOUSTON, May 27 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Wednesday handed down 65-year prison sentences to two founders of a U.S. Islamic charity convicted of illegally funneling $12.4 million to the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The sentences came some six months after a grand jury convicted the Holy Land Foundation and five of its leaders for conspiracy to support a foreign terrorist organization, money laundering, tax fraud and other charges. The foundation, based in a Dallas suburb, was one of the biggest Islamic charities in the United States before the government shut it down in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. The group said it focused on legitimate disaster relief and aid to Palestinian refugees. "I did it because I cared, not at the behest of Hamas," Shukri Abu Baker, 50, told a federal court in Dallas as U.S. District Judge Jorge Solis sentenced him and Ghassan Elashi, 55, to 65 years in prison, the Dallas Morning News reported. Three other defendants were sentenced to lesser terms ranging from 15 to 20 years. "You didn't tell the whole story. Palestinians were in a desperate situation, but that doesn't justify supporting Hamas," the judge said, according to the newspaper. The sentencing, which followed a 2007 mistrial and a retrial that ended last year, is seen by some as a milestone in the U.S. government's crackdown on financing of overseas terror groups. "These sentences should serve as a strong warning to anyone who knowingly provides financial support to terrorists under the guise of humanitarian relief," David Kris, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, said in a statement. Prosecutors said the Holy Land Foundation funneled money to Hamas, which seized control of the Gaza Strip in 2007 and is pushing for an independent Palestinian state. The U.S. government declared Hamas a terrorist organization in 1995. The Islamic community has said the case highlights what it sees as the unfair scrutiny that U.S. Muslims have been subjected to since the 2001 attacks and that it criminalizes legitimate charitable activities central to Islam. (Editing by Paul Simao) *** exposing the hidden truth for further educational research only *** CAVEAT LECTOR *** In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. NOTE: Some links may require cut and paste into your Internet Browser. Please check <http://tinyurl.com/33c9yr> http://tinyurl.com/33c9yr for more real news posts and support the truth! (sorry but don't have time to email all posts) free book download: <http://www.lulu.com/content/165077> http://www.lulu.com/content/165077 *** Revealing the hidden Truth For Educational & Further Research Purposes only. *** NOTICE: Due to Presidential Executive Orders, the National Security Agency (NSA) may have read emails without warning, warrant, or notice. They may do this without any judicial or legislative oversight. You have no recourse, nor protection.......... IF anyone other than the addressee of this e-mail is reading it, you are in violation of the 1st & 4th Amendments to the Constitution of the United States. Patriot Act 5 & H.R. 1955 Disclaimer Notice: This post & all my past & future posts represent parody & satire & are all intended for entertainment and amusement only. To be removed from the weekly list, please reply with the subject line "REMOVE" --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "total_truth_sciences" group. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/total_truth_sciences -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
