http://www.investigativeproject.org/blog/2010/08/day-one-in-united-states-v-seda
For The Record - The IPT Blog
“Day One in United States v. Seda”
by Stephen I. Landman
Aug 30, 2010 at 9:43 pm
SNIPPET: “EUGENE, Ore. — Pete Seda, the co-founder of the al Haramain Islamic Foundation (AHF) has a “dark side,” prosecutors say. One that was “insistent on helping the cause of the mujahideen covertly, secretly, and without leaving a paper trail.”
Seda, also known as Pirouz Sedaghaty, went on trial here Monday, accused of helping funnel hundreds of thousands of dollars to Islamic terrorists in Chechnya.
Seda is charged with conspiring to move $150,000 out of the United States without declaring it as required, and with filing false tax returns to hide the fact that the money ever existed. The case, which began over a decade ago, has already seen the dismissal of the organization on a technicality, and the continuing failure of the government of Saudi Arabia to extradite Seda’s co-conspirator, Soliman al-Buthe.
AHF, headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has operated in more than 50 countries with the stated purpose of distributing Islamic aid and educational material. In 1997, Seda and Soliman al-Buthe founded a U.S. branch in Ashland, Oregon. According to its corporate records:
“al Haramain Islamic Foundation, Inc. stands against terrorism, injustice, or subversive activities in any form and shall not support any statement or acts of terrorism. Al Haramain Islamic Foundation, Inc. believes such conduct is contrary to Islamic principles.”
Multiple investigations by the United States government revealed a much more sinister organization passing itself off as a charitable foundation.”
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http://www.investigativeproject.org/blog/2010/09/day-two-in-united-states-v-seda
For The Record - The IPT Blog
“Day Two in United States v. Seda”
by Stephen I. Landman
Sep 1, 2010 at 10:14 am
SNIPPET: “EUGENE, Ore. - “There are no terrorism charges in this case.” So said attorneys from both the prosecution and defense teams during opening statements in United States v. Seda on Monday. Despite those words of caution, the bulk of Tuesday’s testimony involved plenty of discussion about terrorism in Russia and the Caucuses. That’s because although the area has been plagued by decades of violence, whether the jury views Chechen fighters there as freedom fighters or terrorists may very well determine the outcome of the case.
While at its core this is a criminal tax case, the intentions of the defendant are integral to the case. Pirouz Sedaghaty, also known as Pete Seda, is charged with charged with conspiring to move $150,000 out of the United States without declaring it as required, and with filing false tax returns to hide the fact that the money ever existed.
Whether jurors determine the he knew he was financially supporting Chechen rebels and falsified his tax returns to hide it could decide the case.
The prosecution called numerous witnesses to demonstrate that Chechen militants are violent extremists engaged in acts of terrorism; that Seda knew it; and that he surreptitiously used his position as director of the al Haramain Islamic Foundation to finance the militants.”
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http://www.investigativeproject.org/blog/2010/09/day-three-in-united-states-v-seda
For The Record - The IPT Blog
“Day Three in United States v. Seda”
by Stephen I. Landman
Sep 2, 2010 at 9:44 am
SNIPPET: “EUGENE, Ore. - “I think they wanted things to be closer to the way they were in Saudi Arabia.” That’s how one witness described the evolution of al Haramain Islamic Foundation (AHF) into a radical organization whose leadership reportedly funneled money to Chechen terrorists.
Over the past two days, jurors heard from two converts to Islam who both met defendant Pete Seda—charged with filing false tax returns and failing to disclose the withdrawal of over $100,000 in cash from the United States—while he was head of the Quran Foundation.
And while their experiences differed in the details, they dovetailed in their description of an organization and a man who shifted from moderate to increasingly radical.”
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Indictment - Copy - Link:
http://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/case_docs/480.pdf#page=7
http://www.investigativeproject.org/blog/2010/09/day-four-in-united-states-v-seda
For The Record - The IPT Blog
“Day Four in United States v. Seda”
by Stephen I. Landman
Sep 3, 2010 at 11:39 am
SNIPPET: “EUGENE, Ore. - Prosecutors neared completion of their case Thursday in the prosecution of Pete Seda, accused of hiding $150,000 sent out of the country with the intent of benefiting Chechen mujahideen.
Government witnesses described how the money started with a donation to Seda’s organization, the al Haramain Islamic Foundation. It came from London, then moved to Oregon and New York and ultimately to Saudi Arabia, where it possibly made its way to Chechen mujahideen. “A bizarre financial transaction,” is how federal investigators described it.
The donation came from a wealthy Egyptian named Mahmoud el-Fiki. El-Fiki contacted al Haramain with the intention of making a donation “as Zakat [charity] in order to participate in your noble support to our Muslim brothers in Chychnia.” The donation itself would not have raised any eyebrows; it was what Seda did with the money that attracted scrutiny.”
http://www.investigativeproject.org/2170/trial-exposes-charity-abuse
“Trial Exposes Charity Abuse”
by Stephen I. Landman
IPT News
September 8, 2010
EUGENE, Ore. -
SNIPPET: “In the five years since its indictment on allegations that the al Haramain Islamic Foundation (AHF) had funneled money to Chechen rebels, Pete Seda’s now-defunct organization has wrangled with government attorneys over allegations that the government conducted unlawful surveillance, seized assets without a warrant, and overstepped its authority under the Patriot Act in seeking foreign bank records. And while at its core, this is a criminal tax case against Pirouz Sedaghaty, aka Pete Seda, the outcome has broader implications for the continuing efforts to counter-terrorist financing.
But in many ways, Seda’s prosecution followed a familiar script. Prosecutors presented evidence showing that despite a façade of charity and moderation, al Haramain was surreptitiously funneling money out of the country and possibly into the hands of Chechen mujahideen, all under the guise of humanitarian efforts.”
MONEY JIHAD - blog: "UN REMOVES FUGITIVE FINANCIER FROM ALQAEDA LIST" (SNIPPET: "While Seda faced the U.S. justice system, al-Buthe eluded it, but remained under international sanctions--until now.") (February 25, 2013) (Read More…)
SHARIA FINANCE WATCH.org - blog: "UNITED NATIONS CAVES TO SAUDI AND OIC INFLUENCE, REMOVES SAUDI OFFICIAL WHO IS AL QAEDA FINANCIER FROM SANCTIONS LIST" (SNIPPET: "One such individual is Soliman al-Buthe, who is currently a Saudi government official and previously started a charity here in the United States in Oregon that has been tied to Al Qaeda. This week, the UN has decided to remove al-Buthe from its Al Qaeda sanctions list.") (February 13, 2013) (Read More…)