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2005-08-01 Home Front: WoT
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Three Years after Raids, Still No Charges against 'Safa Group'
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More on the allegations against the SAFA group here
A collection of Islamic-American businesses and non-profit entities have been under federal investigation for allegedly bankrolling terrorist organizations.
But more than three years later, no charges have been filed. The group of organizations â which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials call the "Safa Group" â has been under investigation since at least March 2002, when federal agents raided their Herndon offices at 555 Grove St. and eight homes in Herndon and Loudoun County. The groups are being scrutinized for allegedly funding Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, according to court documents. Through their attorney, members of the Safa Group denied any connection to terrorist groups. None of them have been charged with any illegal activity.
Over the last four years, the Safa Group entities have contributed nearly $63,000 to candidates for the General Assembly. But the Safa Group's campaign contributions have nothing to do with the federal investigation. Instead, the contributions are intended to back candidates who reflect a traditionally conservative political ideology â specifically those who oppose same-sex marriage, vote to further restrict abortion, according to their attorney and three General Assembly candidates who have enjoyed their support. The biggest recipient of the Safa Group's political contributions was Del. Dick Black (R-32), who has received a total of $33,270. Of that amount, at least $13,500 was received over the last year for Black's campaign to be re-elected on Nov. 8. "Many of the folks in the Muslim community have very strong conservative values on issues such as homosexuality, abortion and pornography," said Black, a Loudoun County attorney who is known as one of the General Assembly's most vociferous opponents of abortion and same sex marriage. "Not one of these American citizens have been charged. And, frankly, I'm not going to discriminate based on race, religion or skin color."
NO CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED in direct connection to the 2002 searches of eight homes or Herndon offices. However, two convictions â of Falls Church resident Abdurahman Alamoudi and of Egyptian Soliman Biheiri â were aided by information gleaned from the Herndon raids, according to court documents provided by Boyd. Alamoudi, a Muslim activist, is currently serving a 23-year sentence for violating international sanctions against travel and financial dealings with Libya. Biheiri, currently serving a 13-month prison sentence, was found guilty of making false statement to federal agents about a $1 million business deal with a top Hamas leader, according to documents filed with the U.S. District Court in Alexandria. An unsealed 2002 affidavit filed to seek a search warrant claims that the Safa Group sent more than $26 million in untraceable funds overseas and its leaders conspired to provide material support to terrorist organizations. But no charges have materialized from the claims, authored by Homeland Security agent David Kane. 
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Posted by Paul Moloney 2005-08-01 03:35||
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