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| Michigan Brothers Charged in Drug Ring, Links to Hezbollah |
| 2004-01-21 |
| Two Michigan men have been charged in connection with a drug ring that authorities say may have financially supported Hezbollah, an Islamic militant group listed by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization. Enter standard "If we just legalized drugs" rant here Ali Abdul-Karim Farhat, 39, and his brother, Hassan Farhat, 34, were arrested by federal agents at their Dearborn home Monday. They are being held on cocaine conspiracy and distribution charges and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. "Based on what I’ve seen and heard to date, the investigation doesn’t demonstrate anything other than wishful thinking," the men’s attorney, Arthur Weiss, told the Detroit Free Press. "Lies, all lies!" According to a criminal complaint, Ali Farhat, owner of perfume importer Sigma Distribution Inc., had been involved in marijuana, cocaine and heroin trafficking for at least 10 years, based on information supplied by government informants. The complaint says Hassan Farhat gave another informant a package containing cocaine at the Farhats’ booth at a trade center last December. Bet the informant was wired and they have pictures. Search warrants for the company and the men’s home indicate agents were searching for Hezbollah-related books, videos and documents. As they say, developing. In another Dearborn case, assistant U.S. attorney Ken Chadwell filed an affidavit Tuesday in support of the continued detention of Mahmoud Youssef Kourani, who was indicted on charges of providing material support to Hezbollah. Kourani was ordered held without bond. Good. Kourani, 32, got a visa to travel to Mexico by bribing a Mexican official in Beirut with $3,000, then entered the United States from Mexico in the trunk of a car on Feb. 4, 2001, Chadwell said. Pause - seethe - continue: According to the government, Kourani told the FBI his brother is Hezbollah’s chief of military security for southern Lebanon. Kourani’s lawyer, Nabih Ayad, has denied Kourani has any connection to Hezbollah. Nabih, better have a talk with your client. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #1 Kourani told the FBI his brother is Hezbollah’s chief of military security for southern Lebanon well, well, isn't he a prized little catch?? |
| Posted by: B 2004-1-21 1:38:21 PM |