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By Evan Perez
Federal prosecutors charged a former Islamic charity official with working for ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's intelligence service, including helping to organize a visit to Baghdad for members of Congress.
Through an intermediary, the Iraqi intelligence service paid the delegation's $34,000 in expenses for the September 2002 trip that Muthanna al-Hanooti, an Iraqi-born American citizen, helped to organize, prosecutors said in court documents filed in U.S. District Court for Michigan's Eastern District.
Mr. al-Hanooti, the indictment says, acted as a U.S. contact for the Iraqi intelligence service, helping to identify members of Congress who might support Iraq's efforts to lift U.S. sanctions against Mr. Hussein's government.
The indictment doesn't identify the members of Congress who took the Iraq trip, and prosecutors don't suggest the members of Congress were aware of Mr. al-Hanooti's Iraq ties. Two congressional delegations made trips to Iraq in September 2002, aiming to help avert the war.
One in late September included then-Rep. David Bonior (D., Mich.), Rep. Mike Thompson (D., Calif.) and Rep. Jim McDermott (D., Wash.). Mr. Bonior couldn't be reached for comment. Rep. Thompson issued a statement saying the trip was approved by the State Department and sponsored by a group licensed by the Treasury Department. He added: "Obviously, had there been any question at all regarding the sponsor of the trip or the funding, I would not have participated."
Mike DeCesare, a spokesman for Rep. McDermott, said the congressman doesn't know Mr. al-Hanooti and doesn't recall meeting him. The congressman joined the trip at the invitation of a Seattle church group, which "wanted him to go to Iraq to see the plight of Iraqi children," Mr. DeCesare said.
An earlier visit in mid-September included Democratic Rep. Nick Rahall of West Virginia and former Democratic Sen. James Abourezk of South Dakota. The Institute for Public Accuracy, a public-policy and media think tank, paid all expenses for that trip, according to Norman Solomon, the institute's executive director.
Mr. Solomon says he organized and went on the trip and has never heard of Mr. al-Hanooti. Mr. Abourezk says he doesn't know Mr. al-Hanooti. Mr. Rahall's office said he wasn't available for comment.
Mr. al-Hanooti worked for the Life for Relief and Development charity, in Southfield, Mich., and also led a related political consulting group called Focus on American and Arab Interests and Relations, the indictment says.
Prosecutors said that in compensation for his work, including arranging the trip, the former Iraqi government paid Mr. al-Hanooti with a contract for two million barrels of oil.
James Thomas, Mr. al-Hanooti's lawyer, said his client pleaded not guilty and "plans to vigorously defend himself" against the charges.
A person who answered the phone at the offices of Life for Relief and Development said Mr. al-Hanooti no longer works with the organization and said officials who could comment weren't available. The consulting group, now called Focus on Advocacy & Advancement of International Relations, didn't return a call requesting comment.
Federal prosecutors charged a former Islamic charity official with working for ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's intelligence service, including helping to organize a visit to Baghdad for members of Congress.
Through an intermediary, the Iraqi intelligence service paid the delegation's $34,000 in expenses for the September 2002 trip that Muthanna al-Hanooti, an Iraqi-born American citizen, helped to organize, prosecutors said in court documents filed in U.S. District Court for Michigan's Eastern District.
Mr. al-Hanooti, the indictment says, acted as a U.S. contact for the Iraqi intelligence service, helping to identify members of Congress who might support Iraq's efforts to lift U.S. sanctions against Mr. Hussein's government.
The indictment doesn't identify the members of Congress who took the Iraq trip, and prosecutors don't suggest the members of Congress were aware of Mr. al-Hanooti's Iraq ties. Two congressional delegations made trips to Iraq in September 2002, aiming to help avert the war.
Mike DeCesare, a spokesman for Rep. McDermott, said the congressman doesn't know Mr. al-Hanooti and doesn't recall meeting him. The congressman joined the trip at the invitation of a Seattle church group, which "wanted him to go to Iraq to see the plight of Iraqi children," Mr. DeCesare said.
An earlier visit in mid-September included Democratic Rep. Nick Rahall of West Virginia and former Democratic Sen. James Abourezk of South Dakota. The Institute for Public Accuracy, a public-policy and media think tank, paid all expenses for that trip, according to Norman Solomon, the institute's executive director.
Mr. Solomon says he organized and went on the trip and has never heard of Mr. al-Hanooti. Mr. Abourezk says he doesn't know Mr. al-Hanooti. Mr. Rahall's office said he wasn't available for comment.
Prosecutors said that in compensation for his work, including arranging the trip, the former Iraqi government paid Mr. al-Hanooti with a contract for two million barrels of oil.
James Thomas, Mr. al-Hanooti's lawyer, said his client pleaded not guilty and "plans to vigorously defend himself" against the charges.
A person who answered the phone at the offices of Life for Relief and Development said Mr. al-Hanooti no longer works with the organization and said officials who could comment weren't available. The consulting group, now called Focus on Advocacy & Advancement of International Relations, didn't return a call requesting comment.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
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