A major American Islamic charity and seven of its senior directors were charged Tuesday with illegally funneling millions of dollars to support Hamas.
The indictment unsealed in Dallas alleges the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development used its tax-exempt status to masquerade as a legitimate charity while most of its money was going to individuals and organizations linked to Hamas.
"The defendants effectively rewarded past, and encouraged future, suicide bombings and terrorist activities on behalf of Hamas," Attorney General John Ashcroft said.
Ashcroft said Holy Land and its members had illegally sent overseas $12.4 million since 1995 to fund Hamas operations. The charity's assets were frozen by the U.S. government in December 2001.
The indictment names the foundation along with its president, Shukri Abu Baker; chairman, Ghassan Elashi; executive director, Haitham Maghawri; and four others. The charges include providing material support "to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy, money laundering and filing false tax returns."
Hamas official Musa Abu-Marzuk said in Damascus, "Hamas did not take any penny from the Holy Land Foundation. Hamas has its own means of funding and that is not connected to any institution in the West. The Bush administration is accusing them in order to aid his re-election campaign."
On his part, Dr. Ahmad Agha, one of 10 board members who direct the Richardson, Texas-based Holy Land Foundation, said the charity money went for relief to refugees, orphans and disaster victims.
"I'm very surprised and very upset," Agha said. "This is really a hit to people who try to help other people. This is a discouragement to those people, (and) now to people who try to help other people."
© 2004 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
