The verdict came back on the Care International trial in Boston, after only several days of deliberation. Are the feds getting better at prosecuting these cases?
"BOSTON— Three former leaders of an Islamic charity were convicted Friday of duping the U.S. government into getting tax-exempt status by hiding the group's pro-jihad activities."
"Care International Inc. described its mission as helping war orphans, widows and refugees in Muslim nations. But prosecutors said the organization also distributed a newsletter promoting jihad and supported Muslim militants involved in armed conflicts around the world.""Emadeddin Muntasser, the founder of Care International; Muhammed Mubayyid, the group's former treasurer; and Samir Al-Monla, the president of Care from 1996 to 1998, were charged with tax code violations, making false statements and conspiracy to defraud the United States."
"The federal jury found them guilty on all counts, except a false statements count on which Al-Monla was acquitted."
" 'Today's verdict is a milestone in our efforts against those who conceal their support for extremist causes behind the veil of humanitarianism. For years, these defendants used an allegedly charitable organization as a front for the collection of donations that they converted for the purpose of supporting violent jihadists,' Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Wainstein in Washington said in a statement."
"Defense attorneys, who did not immediately return calls for comment Friday, had accused prosecutors of trying to sensationalize the charges into a terrorism case by highlighting the newsletter."
"Muntasser, 42, owner of the Logan Furniture Co., was born in Libya and now lives in Braintree. Mubayyid, 42, was born in Lebanon and now lives in Shrewsbury. Al-Monla, 50, was born in Kuwait, now lives in Boston and is a U.S. citizen."
Can/will they appeal? Will Harvey Silverglate and Susan Estrich continue to represent them?
Bravo to the FBI and DOJ. You can read the DOJ press release here. Excerpt:
K"enneth Wainstein, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; U.S. Attorney Michael J. Sullivan; Warren T. Bamford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - New England Field Division; and Douglas A. Bricker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation - Boston Field Office, announced today that EMADEDDIN MUNTASSER, age 43, of Braintree, SAMIR ALMONLA, age 50, of Brookline, and MUHAMED MUBAYYID, age 42, of Shrewsbury, were each convicted by a jury sitting before U.S. District Judge F. Dennis Saylor, IV, of Conspiring to Defraud the United States and Engaging in a Scheme to Conceal Information from the U.S. Government. In addition, MUNTASSER was convicted of Making False Statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation during an interview conducted in April 2003 and MUBAYYID was convicted of three separate counts of Making and Filing False Tax Returns on behalf of Care International, Inc. (“Care International”) for tax years 1997, 1999, and 2000. MUBAYYID was also convicted of obstructing and impeding the Internal Revenue Service. AL-MONLA was acquitted on one count of making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation during an interview conducted in April 2003."
Re: sentencing, from the DOJ press release:
"Judge Saylor scheduled sentencing hearings for the defendants on April 2rd, 3rd, and 4th, 2008. MUNTASSER, MUBAYYID and AL-MONLA each face up to 5 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine for each of the following counts...."
My previous postings on the Care International trial here.
Care International Leaders Not-Guilty - God Bless Judge Saylor for having having both wisdom and courage, and for recognizing the great injustice done by the jurors in convicting leaders of Care International based upon fear, loathing, bigotry and hatred. My faith in our justice system is renewed.
Posted by: Darwin | June 03, 2008 at 07:09 PM
Not all the charges were dropped. Two of the three defendants were found guilty of some of the charges. So your claim that the leaders were found not guilty is incorrect.
Any fear and loathing is for those who come to this country, abuse our freedoms, raise money to wage violent jihad across the globe, and think that they get a tax deduction to boot. It was a short-sighted decision. I believe the feds are going to appeal.
Posted by: miss kelly | June 03, 2008 at 07:20 PM
Yes Miss Kelly, the feds will certainly appeal and waste even more tax payer dollars pursuing this matter. One wonders how much their terrorism expert Matthew Levitt received for his testomony. Of course, he couldn't remember how much he was being paid when questioned at trial. One hopes he remembers to include that six figure income when he files his tax returns.
Posted by: Darwin | June 04, 2008 at 11:18 AM
I'll gladly continue to pay taxes for the feds to prosecute these guys. I'd rather see them get deported, but that takes a long time too. We don't need bad people in our country who exploit our openness and freedoms, and spread religious hatred and violence around the world. I'm all for making them uncomfortable here and encouraging them to go back to where they came from.
Speaking of fees, who do you suppose is footing the legal counsel bill for the hundreds of motions filed by Muntasser and the other defendants? They've got a very big team of lawyers, with some big names and Manhattan law firms behind them. This has to have cost them millions already. Somebody's got a Sugar Daddy and he probably resides in the Middle East.
Posted by: miss kelly | June 04, 2008 at 05:23 PM
Ah now Miss Kelly, youre showing your bias. If somebody had a sugar daddy, why would he be here raising a mere pittance for those widows and orphans. No, somebody earned his money the old fashioned way - he worked hard for it. Tsk, tsk. Oh, and while youre railing about sending people back where they came from, where did YOUR people come from? We are a Nation of immigrants in case you have forgotten.
Speaking of spreading religious hatred and bigotry around the world, that is a picture of the Pope isnt it? Takes one to know one.
Posted by: Darwin | June 04, 2008 at 09:45 PM
Darwin, $1.7 million is hardly a "mere pittance."
My grandparents came from Ireland. They never raised money and sent it back to radical groups in Ireland to blow up cars and murder school children.
Yes, we are a nation of immigrants, but in the past we've been a nation that sucessfully assimilated immigrants. There is no need to welcome immigrants who adhere to a violent, supremacist ideology. I'm definitely biased against people who support jihadi terrorism, no question.
Posted by: miss kelly | June 05, 2008 at 04:06 PM
And so your grandparents never made donations for the benefit of widows and orphans in the North of Ireland? Never sent moneys to support the families of prisoner's in the Maze Prison? Because if they did, they are no different than Care International. Blowing up cars and murdering school children? Oh, my. Did the government know they were doing these things? My, my, my. Miss Kelly forgot to enlighten the prosecutors that she knows more than they did about the activities of Care International. This is a waste of time. Miss Kelly does not want to be bothered with facts now that she has already made up her mind. Such a pity.
Posted by: Darwin | June 05, 2008 at 10:49 PM
No, dear, my grandma and grandpa didn't.
Time for your own blog, I'd say!
Posted by: miss kelly | June 06, 2008 at 05:35 PM
PLEASE SEND ME ANY NEW INFORMATION ABOUT SAMIR ALMONLA
Posted by: RAMEZ ALMONLA | December 08, 2008 at 01:07 PM
Surely it's more than foolish to leave this story unamended on your website. In July, 6 months later, Judge Saylor ruled that the federal case had been shoddy and crippled by false reasoning, ordered the immediate release of one defendant and further examination of the cases against the two others.
As for the Department of Justice claim that Care International is a body founded by a (eek!) man with an Arab name, a quick look on the web shows that this body is a genuine international charity, formed by 12 national such charities in Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Denmark,France, Germany, Holland, Japan, Norway, Thailand, United Kingdom and -- good golly, Miss Kelly -- the United States of America.
No Muslim states there, huh?
Your story puts the question about whether the DoJ has yet learned how to run anti-terrorist cases successfully. Judge Saylor has answered it.
Posted by: kunino | March 14, 2009 at 07:18 PM