A jury Tuesday began hearing evidence in a terrorist financing trial involving what was once the nationÂ’s largest Muslim charity in a case that will test the US governmentÂ’s newest tool in the war on terror.
The prosecutor opened TuesdayÂ’s session by reading the 40-page indictment, which is an outline of alleged crimes.
Prosecutors contend the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development| formerly known as the Occupied Land Foundation |
sent at least $12 million to committees in Palestine controlled by Hamas out of funds it had collected at mosques and radical fundraisers throughout the United States. | The raid on HLF HQ was the one ruined by Judy Miller when she called them for comment the day *before* the raid; a lot of documents and a couple big fish went away. |
The US government designated Hamas a terrorist organization in 1995, making it illegal to support the group, even in the form of humanitarian aid. |