HOLY LAND TERROR TRIAL BEGINS: DEFENSE BLAMES THE JEWS

Unbelievable, the jihad knows no bounds:

Linda Moreno, attorney for former Holy Land board chairman Ghassan Elashi, countered that "this case is not about terrorism or money laundering. Israel has a dangerous influence over [U.S.] policies, and it's at play in this case." (more here)

(Photo: Supporters of  Holy Land Foundation defendants rallied outside the federal court house Monday Don't expect to to see them at the anti-Ahmadinejad protest)

Supporters of Holy Land Foundation defendants rallied outside the federal court house Monday. It was the day of opening arguments in the downtown

Dallas

case. Five men stand accused of funneling money to the illegal Palestinian group Hamas. KERA's Bill Zeeble reports. Local Muslims and political activists gathered in defense of those who used to run what had been the largest Muslim charity in the U.S. Imam Mahdi Bray says the defendants gave charity to those in need, as called for by their faith. He says they did not send funds to Hamas. (more here)

And the terror retrial begin, and so does the rampamt antisemitism. I wonder if unindicted co-conspirator CAIR will get off this time.  The prosecution must prove  that Holy Land Foundation funds knowingly went to Palestinian charities that would secretly pass it on to Hamas. Dallas News reports here:

year after the Holy Land Foundation terrorism financing case ended in a mistrial, prosecutors and defense attorneys were back before a new jury Monday, laying out largely the same arguments.

    

Federal prosecutors painted the former Richardson charity as a front for Palestinian terrorists. The defense said Holy Land was dedicated to saving lives in a war-torn land.

    

"These men put money in the hands of terrorists," prosecutor Elizabeth Shapiro said during her opening statement. "This case is not about charity."

[...]

Five of the former charity's organizers are accused of funneling more than $12 million to the Palestinian militant group Hamas. American authorities declared Hamas a terrorist organization and banned all support for the group in 1995.

    

Ms. Shapiro told jurors Monday that while none of the defendants is accused of any violent acts, they provided cash to Hamas' most important component, the social services wing, which helps the group win support among Palestinians. Providing charity frees up money for suicide bombings, she said.

    

She urged the jurors to do three things during the trial, which is expected to take six weeks: Take notes, think like a terrorist, and listen to all the evidence.

    

"This case is about unraveling deception," Ms. Shapiro said. She added that it's not a referendum on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

[...]

Nancy Hollander, the attorney for former Holy Land CEO Shukri Abu Baker, told the jurors that the case is about an organization dedicated to helping people in the Mideast.

Comments

[seeteufel]

It is no secret that Hamas pays the families of suicide bombers. Nor is it a secret that Sadam gave a great big bonus to the family of any suicide bombers. These fact are easy to prove, yes, it is charity, but a charity that fosters violence.

[epaminondas]

"this case is not about terrorism or money laundering. Israel has a dangerous influence over [U.S.] policies, and it's at play in this case."

No doubt several to all of Obama's foreign policy advisers would agree

[yonason]

Yeah, it's all our fault for existing. Riiiiiiight.