Michigan Man Accused of Hezbollah Membership

AP via FoxNews ^ | Jan. 15, 2004 | AP Staff

[Pest]

DETROIT

[JustPiper]

Wonderful pic!!! Bump!

[JustPiper]

Ping!!!

[JustPiper]

Kourani entered the United States illegally through Mexico

Thanks for th ping Dearheart ;)

[JustPiper]

BumPing!

[Oorang]

For the life of me I still can't figure out why the politicians won't close the border, or at least put a fine-mesh net over it. We are simply asking for more and more trouble as long as the borders (south and north) are wide open. I just don't get it! (Pounding head against the wall).

[Donna Lee Nardo]

Here is a Justice Dept. press release of on the other dude:

U.S. Department of Justice

Jeffrey G. Collins

United States Attorney

Eastern District of Michigan

Suite 2001

211 West Fort Street

Detroit, Michigan 48226-3277

For Immediate Release:

Contact: Gina Balaya (313) 226-9758

December 18, 2003

United States Attorney Jeffrey G. Collins and Willie Hulon, Special Agent In Charge, FBI Detroit, announced that Hassan Moussa Makki, 42, of Dearborn, Michigan was sentenced this afternoon in federal court in Detroit to 57 months imprisonment for Providing Material Support to the Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, Hizballah, and for Conspiring to Violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, after pleading guilty to those offenses on September 18, 2003. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge George Caram Steeh.

The information presented to the court at the time of the guilty plea showed that Hassan Makki knowingly provided more than $2,000 in U.S. currency to Hizballah, also known as "Party of God," after it had been designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. Secretary of State. The money was intended to support Hizballah's "orphans of martyrs" program to benefit the families of those killed in Hizballah terrorist operations or by Hizballah's enemies. Mr. Makki generated cash by participating in a conspiracy to obtain low and untaxed cigarettes from North Carolina and resell them in Michigan, evading State of Michigan cigarette taxes. Mr. Makki was involved in the trafficking of between $36,000 and $72,000 worth of contraband cigarettes per month between 1997 and 1999. During that time, Michigan cigarette taxes were $7.50 per carton, while North Carolina cigarette taxes were 50 cents per carton. The total tax loss to the State of Michigan resulting from the conspiracy's illegal activity was at least $2 million.

Mr. Collins added that, "to date, seven other members of the racketeering conspiracy have pleaded guilty. The sentence, which is non-parolable, was imposed under the United States Sentencing Guidelines according to the nature of the offense and the criminal background, if any, of the defendant." Mr. Makki remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service.

Mr. Collins commended the Joint Terrorism Task Force for its diligent efforts in bringing Hassan Makki to justice.

[Donna Lee Nardo]

Here are 2 additional links with more details and a listing of names of all 11 charged last Feb 2003. Michigan area folks: do you recognize any of the names on the lists in the 1st article?

http://www.freep.com/news/latestnews/pm12969_20030204.htm
http://www.wlo-usa.org/News/hezbollahcontraband.html

[TheEditor]

The kibbee nyee at La Shish is simply the best. Heck, anything at La Shish rocks.

[Beck_isright]

"Michigan Man Accused of Hezbollah Membership"

Sounds like a potential Dean V.P. running mate to me.

[Kay Soze]

"According to the indictment, Kourani entered the United States illegally through Mexico in February 2001"

[Las Vegas Dave]

We go to Dearborn several times a year to see Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum.

Usually we do not see very many mid-eastern types, but know they are there~~~!

[MichiganMan]

Heh, you should see my driver's license picture. Mind you, I'm hopelessly Caucasian. But I'm a bit dark, balding-shaved head, five o'clock shadow and never happy to be in the Secretary of State. I wouldn't let me on a plane if I was looking at that photo. ;)

[zook]

Usually we do not see very many mid-eastern types, but know they are there~~~!

The Village and Museum are nestled in a relatively less densely populated area of the city. Dearborn is somewhat unusual as a town because it really has four distinct sections; east Dearborn, southeast Dearborn (the area of the Ford Rouge Plant and the traditional location of most Arab families); the "Fairlane" area (where the large mall, many hotels and restaurants, and the Village and Museum are located; and west Dearborn (the most affluent and "whitest" area of town).

Over the years, Arab families migrated out in bicycle spoke fashion from the S.E. end to east Dearborn and west Dearborn.

[RushLake]

Be careful in your references to the islamic terrorists. There are people who post here who will be inclined to accuse you of being a member of the Michigan Militia, and anti-Christian to boot. You have to remember that the Christian thing to do is to turn the other cheek when we experience these attacks by the Cultists of Death. It was the Michigan Militia or some right wing Christian group that caused 9/11, and causes all of this activity against our country don't you know? Can't we all just get along?

"Cult of Death"--I like it.

[RushLake]

"On an Indian reservation in NYS? What on earth does this mean? Is that a cigarette connection or what? Are there Indians involved in Al Quaeda?"

They are peacefully living on the reservation in a state of nature waiting for the evil white man to take away their reserv...er, uh, casinos and cigarette sales. They would also like an apology every day and reparations too.

[Dave S]

It was the Michigan Militia or some right wing Christian group that caused 9/11, and causes all of this activity against our country don't you know?

Boy, you're even more of a kook than I thought if you believe that. The Michigan Militia (and I have nothing against Michigan, I was born & raised there) are just a bunch of dim-witted underachievers playing soldier, not a real threat. In a group they might threaten a single arab walking the street but one on one they would cower in fear, just like they do of the world. Grow up and dont ping me again or I will hit abuse.

[Pest]

Friendly advice: It's hard to identify sarcasm in writing. If you're being sarcastic, you should indicate it as such. If not, then you deserve everything you get.

[Dave S]

But why are you so hostile Dave?

Because that A-Hole from Michigan keeps pinging me in attempts to harrass me. I've already told him Im not interested in what he thinks because he so seldom bothers to do any. My suggestion is that he take his Michigan Militia and stick it where his brain is.