DALLAS – Internal records detailing fund raising hauls by the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF) indicate that the group took in hundreds of thousands of dollars more than it reported on tax forms, an FBI agent testified Wednesday.
An HLF ledger shows $396,000 was collected at various fundraisers in 1990, Agent Robert Miranda testified. But HLF's tax returns reported only $88,490 that year. Entries on the ledger indicate Hamas leaders routinely were part of the fundraisers. In a comment section next to the donation totals, numerous entries note that the Hamas guest speakers "took it." Other notations indicate defendant Mohamed El-Mezain also "took it."
El Mezain, a former HLF chairman, is among five men on trial, accused of conspiring to provide material support to Hamas. Prosecutors say HLF illegally channeled more than $12 million to the Palestinian terrorist group through donations to a series of charities, or zakat committees.
Miranda's testimony marked at least the second example in which tens of thousands of dollars in HLF funds go unaccounted for. Last week, FBI agent Lara Burns described two separate HLF donations of $100,000 to an Islamic center but accompanying paperwork accounted for only $20,000 in each case, she said. Read more ...
An HLF ledger shows $396,000 was collected at various fundraisers in 1990, Agent Robert Miranda testified. But HLF's tax returns reported only $88,490 that year. Entries on the ledger indicate Hamas leaders routinely were part of the fundraisers. In a comment section next to the donation totals, numerous entries note that the Hamas guest speakers "took it." Other notations indicate defendant Mohamed El-Mezain also "took it."
El Mezain, a former HLF chairman, is among five men on trial, accused of conspiring to provide material support to Hamas. Prosecutors say HLF illegally channeled more than $12 million to the Palestinian terrorist group through donations to a series of charities, or zakat committees.
Miranda's testimony marked at least the second example in which tens of thousands of dollars in HLF funds go unaccounted for. Last week, FBI agent Lara Burns described two separate HLF donations of $100,000 to an Islamic center but accompanying paperwork accounted for only $20,000 in each case, she said. Read more ...
Source: IPT News
 |
Posts
