Two Founders of Muslim Holy Land Charity Sentenced to 65 Years in Prison for Funnelling Money to Terrorist Group Hamas

"And where," Sonia Sotomayor asks, "is the empathy?"

Two founding members of what was once the nation’s largest Muslim charity were each sentenced to 65 years in prison Wednesday for funneling millions of dollars to the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Shukri Abu Baker, 50, and Ghassan Elashi, 55, were among the five members of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development sentenced to prison Wednesday.
The men and Holy Land were convicted in November on 108 charges, following a mistrial in which the government in 2007 failed to sway jurors that the charity sent more than $12 million to Hamas.
Mufid Abdulqader, 49, was sentenced to 20 years on three conspiracy counts. Mohammad El-Mezain, 55, got 15 years for one count of conspiracy to support a terrorist organization. Abdulrahman Odeh got 15 years for three conspiracy counts.

The judge corrected one of the defendants:

Later, Abdulqader told the court that he was merely a volunteer fundraiser and a singer in a Palestinian folk band that worked with the charity.
"I never imagined I’d be put in jail for taking people out of their jail of poverty and starvation," he said.
But Solis, while agreeing Abdulquader’s lesser role contributed to his lighter sentence, disagreed with what that role was. "You weren’t convicted of freedom of expression," the judge said. "You were convicted of supporting Hamas."

A daughter of one of the sentenced founders offered...

"I’ve been with my dad 100 percent of the way... I saw the work he did. He devoted his life to helping needy children. But after 9/11, I guess, there’s hysteria. They pick and choose people, and unfortunately it’s us."

Yup. They pick and choose people.

Thanks to WilliamA.

Posted by: Ace at 06:00 PM

Comments

1 Heh. Here in Israel the terrorists themselves rarely do more than 20 years.

Posted by: Juicer at May 27, 2009 06:05 PM (auvrx)

2
Actually, in a way, the daughter is kind of right. They do pick and choose people. I bet you if they wanted to really crack down on groups that are funding terrorism, especially Palestinian terrorism, they would find tons of groups that do this type of thing.

But that wouldn't be very Politically Correct. So they only pick and choose a few people to make it seem like they are serious.

Posted by: dan-O at May 27, 2009 06:06 PM (teb/C)

3 65 fucking years? Give me a break. That's a death sentence. The Feds are completely out of control.

Posted by: dan in michigan at May 27, 2009 06:08 PM (88w67)

Actually, in a way, the daughter is kind of right. They do pick and choose people. I bet you if they wanted to really crack down on groups that are funding terrorism, especially Palestinian terrorism, they would find tons of groups that do this type of thing.

got a link ?

Posted by: The Great Satan's Ghost at May 27, 2009 06:11 PM (9v0yC)

5 But remember, Islam is a religion of peace, and these individuals are not representative of this wonderful religion that has given our world suicide bombings, IED's and clitorectemies.

Posted by: shibumi at May 27, 2009 06:13 PM (OKZrE)

6
Booyah! I hope they enjoy getting it in their Holey Land.

Posted by: IreneFingIrene at May 27, 2009 06:14 PM (ZNbkm)

7 Torture, now this? Oh, the humanity.

Posted by: Gravity Dick at May 27, 2009 06:14 PM (ewXBY)

8 I'm with the daughter, I can't figure out why we picked on Middle Easterners after 9/11. That was just crazy.

Posted by: ricky at May 27, 2009 06:14 PM (tAZMF)

9 65 fucking years? Give me a break. That's a death sentence. The Feds are completely out of control.

One got 20 years, the second got 15 years and the third got 15 years.

Conclusions:

Math is hard for journalists, even at the Boston Herald.

Follow linky, read article, become informed. Or as Himself coined, "Read the Whole Thing".

Posted by: David in San Diego at May 27, 2009 06:15 PM (GF+6V)

10 OT:
Hugh Hewitt shredded Lawrence ODonnell on Hugh's show today.

Replay at 5pm PST.

Posted by: Chimney Sweep #8 at May 27, 2009 06:16 PM (kIjlp)

I suppose they could have gone for a shorter sentence, seeins how that Hamas outfit didn't really take that money and provide a true death sentence for someone with it instead.

Posted by: The Great Satan's Ghost at May 27, 2009 06:17 PM (9v0yC)

12 The Feds are completely out of control.

Actually, while I agree that our federal government is out of control in many ways (rule of law, the economy, etc.) I don't have a problem with locking these er, miscreants up for a good long time. Especially if this is one of those cases where they will serve nowhere near the minimum and get out in 15 years or so.

Posted by: Josef K. at May 27, 2009 06:17 PM (70sTG)

13 Hugh Hewitt shredded Lawrence ODonnell on Hugh's show today.

Did Hugh put one-half of his brain behind his back to make it fair?

Posted by: David in San Diego at May 27, 2009 06:18 PM (GF+6V)

14 I apologize for my last post. I was reacting blindly to DiM's post. Upon learning they got 20, 15 and 15 years respectively, I think they all got off way too lightly.

Posted by: Josef K. at May 27, 2009 06:20 PM (70sTG)

15 If you actually do read it, you'll find that two of the five got 65 years, the three others got shorter sentences. So there is that.

Posted by: Elliott at May 27, 2009 06:26 PM (bYTjt)

16 OT:

Hewitt's show! Sorry, it's on right now

Posted by: Chimney Sweep #8 at May 27, 2009 06:26 PM (kIjlp)

17 Not there's anything wrong with them spending the rest of their lives in prison. It's fitting, considering what their money went to.

Posted by: Elliott at May 27, 2009 06:27 PM (bYTjt)

Post 9/11 hysteria? Fuck you, you sanctimonious bitch. Apparently, 80% of the damn country has forgotten 9/11, so don't blame the fearful mob for your scumbag daddy going down.

This war is far from over and the enemy is far from defeated; it would be nice if our elected leaders could remember that in between campaigns.

Posted by: UGAdawg at May 27, 2009 06:31 PM (/VjHB)

19 And I must add my apologies to the Boston Herald.

The article was originally written by AP. Either math is hard for the AP or their doing sloppy work.

Tough choices.

Posted by: David in San Diego at May 27, 2009 06:33 PM (GF+6V)

20 Yay, Texas!

Is its DNA exportable?

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at May 27, 2009 06:35 PM (swuwV)

21 Shibumi, don't forget the guy in Buffalo that had the tv show "Bridges" to show how Islam is the religion of peace, who beheaded his wife when she wanted a divorce. Oh and Ace, it's The Joooooos fault as well as The Evil George McHalliburton Hitler. Hopefully, the poor Palestinian Folksinger can get a presidential pardon from Ogabe. Maybe as a goodwill gesture before he embarks on his Great Pyramids Tour.

Posted by: runningrn at May 27, 2009 06:37 PM (aC/SY)

22 So what does Obama get for kicking in $900 mill?

Posted by: Mark V. at May 27, 2009 06:43 PM (h9hPV)

23 Awesome! Justice is served.

Wonder how many shitheads they'll recruit while they're in prison. Why aren't we just tossing these shitbags into an incinerator?

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at May 27, 2009 06:45 PM (xGIqT)

a singer in a Palestinian folk band

Yeah. Uncle Mo & The Jooo-Killers.

I’ve been with my dad 100 percent of the way...

And I'm sure the whole family's all like the "good" Muslims from 24 about two seasons ago.

Posted by: andycanuck at May 27, 2009 06:48 PM (MB+jN)

Hamas terrorists are 'needy children'? I don't fucking think so. Secondly, you get picked and chosen if you're part of a terrorist cell or a supporter. Sucks to be you.

I'd send the fuckers to GITMO.

Posted by: SFC MAC at May 27, 2009 06:50 PM (dX8Ae)

And if any of you bothered to read the article, you'd see that all the sentences are given in dog years.

Posted by: stalin_pale at May 27, 2009 06:52 PM (MB+jN)

27 Hell we given them more than that.

Posted by: MES41067 at May 27, 2009 07:03 PM (wt8fS)

28 Finally, something I can agree with a Dawg on.

Posted by: Techie at May 27, 2009 07:24 PM (QYuCD)

29 I like to think a Wise Muslim Imam would have delivered a more just sentence in this case than an off-white Latina woman.

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Posted by: lee at May 27, 2009 10:10 PM (DCyrw)

31 Sounds like a happy ending.

I do understand that the defendants did it for the folk singers and children, it's just that I'm a cold hearted bastard who hates folk singers and children, esp. one's who go "boom" in public places.

Posted by: jbarntt at May 27, 2009 11:01 PM (e5DIV)

32 How could Allah let this happen?

Posted by: Not Quite at May 27, 2009 11:34 PM (Bs8Te)

33 So when is this country going to smarten up and and ban Muslims?

Fuck em all. I am dead serious. I can guarantee people would feel safer in this country if we banned the leading exporters of death from it.

But we won't. Obama will smile smugly and say how much he knows Islam...

Posted by: Boobies Make Me Smile at May 28, 2009 08:01 AM (weVyN)

A daughter of one of the sentenced founders offered... "I’ve been with my dad 100 percent of the way... I saw the work he did.

--- So she is either a co-conspirator or an active terrorist. Sounds like a confession to me.

Posted by: Mark E at May 28, 2009 12:43 PM (w5RwR)

35 "Later, Abdulqader told the court that he was merely a volunteer fundraiser and a singer in a Palestinian folk band that worked with the charity."

I'm just a singer in a suicide band...

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