Posted on 08/01/2006 1:46:59 PM PDT by WmShirerAdmirer
DEARBORN, Mich. -- A neon American flag flashes red, white and blue above La Shish East restaurant on Michigan Avenue. But what happened with some of the hefty profits from the Lebanese fare is anything but patriotic, federal prosecutors allege.
Using a double set of books, the owner of La Shish chain of 15 restaurants evaded taxes while funneling some $20 million to the Lebanese militant force Hezbollah in recent years, according to an indictment returned in May.
The restaurateur, Talal Chahine, has fled to Lebanon but denies wrongdoing. The case is one of several across the U.S. that link Americans with smuggling operations of illicit drugs, cigarettes and even baby formula and Viagra to profit Hezbollah -- designated by the State Department as a terrorist organization.
With fighting raging in southern Lebanon between Hezbollah and Israeli ground forces, the FBI last week issued a nationwide alert for law enforcement to be vigilant in investigating and profiling Hezbollah sympathizers, according to federal sources.
"The question is: Are they loyal to the U.S. or to this terrorist group Hezbollah?" asked assistant U.S. Atty. Kenneth Chadwell, one of nine federal prosecutors investigating Hezbollah ties in metro Detroit.
Roots in southern Lebanon
The scrutiny has deeply angered this Detroit suburb, where nearly 30,000 Lebanese-Americans live in the largest concentration of Americans with roots in southern Lebanon. Here, many people see no contradiction between being 100 percent American yet backing the guerrillas of Hezbollah against Israel.
On the streets of Dearborn, Hezbollah is not seen as a terrorist group but as a heroic resistance force. Residents say the group led the "freedom fight" in Lebanon during 18 years of Israeli occupation.
Without the diligence and sacrifice of Hezbollah, people here say they would not have been able to return every summer to show their
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
The Hezb'Allah killed 241 American PEACEKEEPERS in 1983.
No real American would support these monsters. Period.
Our beautiful Michigan defiled. Nice work people for letting this happen.
Do we deport ANYONE anymore?
Makes me sick as well.
I take exception to this nonsensical statement.
That's like saying that the body propped up in the corner is dead, but he's enjoying the party.
Most, not all, but the overwhelming majority of muslims who "become" citizens do so through fraud.
One cannot profess loyalty to the United States of America and its ideals and its Constitution, and be pro-Hezbollah.
This must be the second strongest place where Hezbollah is supported in the US. The first is the headquarters of the Presbyerian Church (USA)
I don't THINK so!
Do these "100% Americans" pledge allegiance to the flag?
"The Hezb'Allah killed 241 American PEACEKEEPERS in 1983"
Not heard on CNN.
HUH? Looks like the writer of this headline is conceding that Dearborn is not in the US!
Remember this story is coming from the Tribune. Would you expect anything different?
That makes as much sense as saying you are 100% NAZI and pro-American.
Hezebollah is a military arm of Iran, the state which calls the U.S. the Great White Satan and took our embassy hostage and threatens to use nuclear weapons while lying about a need for nuclear energy.
Iran is a nation which has done its best to feed sectarian strife in Iraq and aid and direct those killing America soldiers.
These people should be rounded up and deported - to Guantanmo.
And Guantanamo should be moved to Antarctica.
Well said Publius6961.
To add to the discussion and also in reference about CAIR:
http://www.debbieschlussel.com/archives/2006/05/desperate_but_n_1.html
Desperate But Not Serious: Why the Feds Aren't Serious About Hezbollah's Restaurateur
By Debbie Schlussel, May 25, 2006
Since last week, a debate that shouldn't be happening is.
The Hezbollah restaurateur, Talal Chahine--owner of the La Shish restaurant chain--was a keynote speaker along with the spiritual leader of Hezbollah (Sheikh Mohammed Fadlallah) at a Hezbollah event. But he and the predictable Islamo-fascists, CAIR's Dawud Walid and "former" terrorist Imad Hamad, claim there's no evidence he's connected with terrorists.
Puh-leeze.
Chahine admittedly gave money to the group for "orphans." Missing words: "Of the martyrs." Whether or not he knew where the money was really going--and you have to be a complete imbecile to think he was unaware--is not relevant. In 1996, Bill Clinton signed into law a package of counterterrorism law that made it illegal to give money to Hezbollah (and other Islamic terrorist groups), regardless of the alleged (and usually phony) purpose.
The Guy The Feds Should Indict But Won't: Chahine's Imam,
Mohammed Ali Elahi & Hezbollah Spiritual Leader Sheikh Fadlallah (pictured)
Convicted Murderer Khalil Chahine (left), Indicted Tax Evader Talal Chahine (second from rt), Hezbollah/Iran Agent Imam Mohammed Ali Elahi @ the Hezbollah Mosque (Pictured)
But U.S. Attorney Stephen Murphy III not only did NOT seek a count for violating that law in the grand jury indictment of Chahine, but he let Chahine flee the country. Why not and why? Generally when a man has his property raided by federal agents twice in a few months, he knows he better get going. If Murphy really wanted him, he'd have gotten his ham sandwich indictment right away, as in before the raids ever happened.
But it appears Murphy didn't really want Chahine to stay here and answer charges. That would mean Chahine would be subject to questions about Imam Mohammed Ali Elahi, an Iranian agent and conduit to Hezbollah spiritual leader Fadlallah. And questions about how his mosque was funded.
And questions about why he lied on his application for U.S. citizenship, failing to disclose that he is an agent of Hezbollah and the Government of Iran. And questions about whether Imam Elahi was helping in laundering money to Fadlallah and Hezbollah. Sources say that Elahi is off-limits at Detroit area international ports (Detroit Metro Airport, the Ambassador Bridge, and the Tunnel). He's not subject to the rigorous searches and questioning reserved for the Little Old Lady from Pasadena and blonde chicks like me.
Hezbollah's Three Stooges: U.S. Attorney Stephen Murphy, FBI SAIC Daniel Roberts, ICE SAIC Brian "Abu" Moskowitz (Pictured)
At a court hearing, an IRS agent held up a photo of Chahine with Hezbollah's Fadlallah. And yet, Mr. Elahi's own proudly displayed photo with Fadlallah, taken during a visit to Lebanon a year ago, doesn't seem to be of any concern to Murphy. Why should it be? He and assorted federal slobs-in-charge graced Elahi at his mosque and gave him enthusiastic applause and kudos, including when Elahi praised Hezbollah.
As I noted previously, Chahine's contributions were not directly to Hezbollah, but to Al Mabarrat Association. It has a Dearborn, Michigan affiliate, Al Mabarat Charitable Organization (note the U.S. version uses one "r", the Lebanese version--two "r"s). Al Mabarrat Association is clearly an open front for Hezbollah, and has Fadlallah's photo on its website front and center. Despite that, U.S. Attorney Stephen Murphy III and the IRS refuse to prosecute the U.S. branch of the charity for apparently violating the law and apparently donating the money to Hezbollah. And the State Department and Office of Foreign Assets Control and the Department of Treasury refuses to put either the Lebanese or American charity on the State Department terrorist list. On the contrary, the U.S. government allows it to operate and has licensed it as a 501(c)(3) tax-deductible organization, subsidized by American taxpayers.
Al Mabarat Charitable Organization's Dearborn officers--Fouad T. Beydoun, Ahmad J. Bazzi, and Nazem Baydoun--are from families that all come from Bint Jbeil, the Hezbollah stronghold in the South of Lebanon. Al Mabarat Charitable Organization's taxes show annual outlays of close to $1 million, but improperly fail to provide a separate schedule listing where the money went. Where is the money going?
Al Mabarrat's Website Features Hezbollah Spiritual Leader Fadlallah (Pictured)
Talal Chahine with Hezbollah Spiritual Leader Fadlallah (from court records)(Pictured)
To those who think the indictment of Talal Chahine will result in anything, think again. His indictment was about PR, NOT justice.
Let's not forget that Hezbollah not only murdered over 300 U.S. Marines and American civilians in Lebanon, tortured Col. Higgins, U.S. Embassy Attache William Buckley, and U.S. Navy diver Robert Stethem to death, hijacked TWA 847, and blew up the Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina (with a similar attempt at the Israeli Embassy in Argentina), but today, Hezbollah is working with Al-Qaeda. Hezbollah trains the Qaeda insurgents in Iraq that are murdering our soldiers, and Hezbollah has provided the IEDs (explosives) that blow them up. Hezbollah also participated in the bombing of the Khobar Towers.
Many of us haven't forgotten, but our spineless, despicable feds in charge in Detroit apparently have.
And to all the idiots who keep telling the Detroit media that they will continue to eat at La Shish--because the owner's tight association with Hezbollah's leader is not enough evidence that he's tied to terror--we say, there is a place on the O.J. jury for you, too.
If only these stupid restaurant patrons chose to drink at Jim Jones' bar rather than continue to eat at La Shish and support a bloody terrorist group. Society would have been far better served.
Posted by Debbie at May 25, 2006 04:18 PM
Hezbollah killed our Marines in Beirut while they slept and they blew up our embassy in Lebanon and they kidnapped tortured and killed Amwericans all throughout the 1980's. Anyone who supports these bastards is an enemy of the US...plain and simple. Hezbollah is a bunch of murdering, terrorist thugs and if you send them money their victims blood is also on your hands.
Ah yes, the wonders of diversity. Ain't it grand.
This is of serious concern to me. Rather than pay his taxes, this guy funneled money to our enemies. Joy...
Now, is this the tip of the iceberg or an isolated incident. I submit it's different than an iceberg. There's more likely only 1/30,000th of this one showing.
Then I say let them be 100% deported.
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