Israeli agent testifies against Muslim charity in U.S. in terrorism case - Haaretz

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Fri., August 10, 2007 Av 26, 5767

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Last update - 11:19 10/08/2007

Israeli agent testifies against Muslim charity in U.S. in terrorism case

By The Associated Press

Prosecutors and lawyers for a Muslim charity accused of funding terrorists clashed Thursday over whether jurors should see documents that Israel Defense Forces soldiers seized during raids of Palestinian organizations.

An Israeli agent testified about the documents during the trial of five leaders of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development.

The agent was not identified, and before he testified the courtroom was cleared of spectators except the families of the defendants. Spectators were allowed in another room to listen to the proceedings.

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Prosecutors believe the documents seized by Israeli soldiers will show that the Holy Land leaders knew they were sending millions of dollars to groups controlled by Hamas, which is thus illegal as the U.S. government defines Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Defense attorneys tried to cast doubt on the authenticity and significance of the documents, which included pamphlets, brochures and posters that are presumably pro-Hamas. Jurors didn't see the documents because the judge had not ruled by late Thursday on whether to allow them into the case.

In filings before the trial, prosecutors said documents seized from the security offices of the Palestinian Authority contained information on Hamas' funding, including from Holy Land.

Defense lawyers suggested that the evidence did not meet the standards for trial in a U.S. court.

Linda Moreno, one of the defense lawyers, asked the Israeli agent whether his soldiers had warrants when they raided Palestinian charities called zakat committees, orphanages and the Palestinian Authority. Prosecutors objected, and Federal District Judge A. Joe Fish upheld their protest.

"You're not contending that the Fourth Amendment applies outside the United States, are you?" Fish asked Moreno, referring the U.S. Constitution's protection against unreasonable search and seizure. The judge said he did not see the relevance of whether the soldiers had warrants.

The charity officials are charged with aiding a terrorist group, conspiracy, money laundering and tax counts. Prosecutors say Holy Land sent more than $12 million to groups controlled by Hamas under the guise of humanitarian aid from 1995 until the charity was shut down in December2001.

It is an important case in the Bush administration's anti-terrorism prosecutions, and President George W. Bush personally announced the freezing of Holy Land's assets.

The trial's first three weeks have been dominated by the testimony of an FBI agent who described financial records, videos and wiretapped phone conversations that show links between the Holy Land defendants and Hamas officials.

Defense lawyers say prosecutors are dragging out events from the late 1980s and early '90s, when it was still legal to have contact with Hamas.

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1.	CAIR is named as an unindicted co-conspirator	03:48	\|	Lynn	10/08/07

2.	It`s the 1940`s and...	04:59	\|	JC	10/08/07

3.	To follow this Holy Land Foundation trial	06:51	\|	Gina	10/08/07

4.	Show and tell....	07:03	\|	Webster	10/08/07

5.	Allarabs are terrorists	07:43	\|	joe zenar	10/08/07

6.	JC It`s the 1940`s and...	09:29	\|	Nechama	10/08/07

7.	JC	09:38	\|	Margie in Tel Aviv	10/08/07

8.	Gina, fascinating stuff	09:40	\|	Margie in Tel Aviv	10/08/07

9.	Margie in Tel Aviv	10:03	\|	Gina	10/08/07

10.	SHebaa	12:06	\|	george	10/08/07

11.	George what`s the connection?	13:45	\|	Margie in Tel Aviv	10/08/07

12.	JC on terrorism	13:47	\|	Lynn	10/08/07

13.	# 2 JC	14:00	\|	Lynn	10/08/07

14.	# 10 George in Beirut	14:05	\|	Lynn	10/08/07

15.	HLF gave to Israeli licensed groups	15:02	\|	Douglas Evans	10/08/07

16.	Evidence	16:15	\|	Shana	10/08/07

17.	JC hit the nail!	22:09	\|	ants	10/08/07

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