Wed Oct 9, 2:26 PM ET
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Federal officials on Wednesday announced the indictment of the head of a U.S. Muslim charity, charging he used donations to fund terrorism around the world.
Syrian-born Enaam Arnaout, who has been in custody since last April, engaged in a "multinational criminal enterprise that for a decade used charitable contributions of innocent Americans -- Muslims, non-Muslims and corporations alike -- to support al Qaeda" as well as turmoil in Chechnya and "armed violence in Bosnia," the Justice Department said.
The indictment, announced by Attorney General John Ashcroft at a Chicago news conference, largely repeated charges made against Arnaout in documents released at the time of his arrest earlier this year.
He had previously been charged only with lying in a court document his foundation filed challenging the seizure of its assets in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.
At the time, the foundation said it was a "faith-based humanitarian organization that engages in charitable work around the world" and "does not engage in or fund terrorist activity."
At the time of his arrest the Justice Department and the FBI said the foundation, based in the Chicago area, was "engaged in the support of various persons and groups involved in military and terrorist type activity," including al Qaeda, the Osama bin Laden group blamed for the attacks on New York and Washington.
Wednesday's seven-count indictment alleges he engaged in racketeering and other illegal activities to fraudulently obtain charitable donations.
(Get these scumbag pig faced SOB's out of my country!!!)