It took 15 years and two trials, but the government has won a terrorism conviction against what had been the nations largest Muslim charity and five of its leaders for funneling millions of dollars to the Palestinian militant group Hamas.A federal jury in Dallas found 'Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development' and its officials guilty of funneling more than $$12 million to the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
"It involves a conspiriacy that spanned a 13-year period of an effort," U.S. Attorney Richard Roper said. "A sophisticated effort to support the terrorist organization Hamas."
"This is a real victory for all of us in the sense that the funding for terrorism is essential for its continuation and we have done many things to weaken their operational capacity," Deputy Director MIPT David Cid said.
The convictions carry sentences up to 15 or 20 years on each count.
Ghassan Elashi, Holy Lands former chairman, and Shukri Abu-Baker, Holy Lands chief executive, were convicted of a combined 69 counts, including supporting a specially designated terrorist, money laundering and tax fraud.
Mufid Abdulqader and Abdulrahman Odeh were convicted of three counts of conspiracy.
Mohammed El-Mezain was convicted of one count of conspiracy to support a terrorist organization.
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