Man pleads guilty to providing support to Hezbollah

ap ^ | 9-18-03

[Dan from Michigan]

Man pleads guilty to providing support to Hezbollah

The Associated Press
9/18/2003, 4:42 p.m. ET

DETROIT (AP) — A man who the government says funneled contraband profits from cigarette trafficking to the Islamic-militant group Hezbollah pleaded guilty Thursday to providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization.

Hassan M. Makki, 41, of Dearborn, also pleaded guilty to a racketeering conspiracy charge, according to a plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court.

Under the agreement, he faces up to 5 years and 11 months in prison and a fine up to $250,000 when sentenced Dec. 16. If the sentence is greater, Makki may withdraw his plea.

Makki acknowledged providing more than $2,000 to Hezbollah after it had been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department.

"The money was intended to support Hezbollah's orphans and martyrs program to benefit the families of those killed in Hezbollah operations or by Hezbollah's enemies," the U.S. attorney's office in Detroit said in a statement.

Makki's lawyer Marshall Goldberg said he wouldn't comment on the case until after sentencing.

Between 1997 and 1999, Makki acknowledged being involved in trafficking between $36,000 and $72,000 worth of cigarettes per month. The plan involved buying low-tax cigarettes in North Carolina, then reselling them at a profit in Michigan, where tobacco taxes are higher.

The trafficking cost Michigan at least $2 million in tax revenue, according to the plea agreement.

Makki was among 11 people charged in February with conspiracy to commit a pattern of racketeering activity, including contraband cigarette trafficking, possession of counterfeit cigarette tax stamps, credit card fraud, money laundering, arson and witness tampering.

Hezbollah, in a statement faxed to The Associated Press in Beirut following the indictments, denied any link to Makki.

Seven of the other defendants already have pleaded guilty to various charges in the case, the U.S. attorney's office said

[Fledermaus]

Too bad we can't arrest people for supporting the DNC, they are about as bad as Hezbollah in their hatred for the U.S.

[doug from upland]

People who donate to the DNC should be arrested.

[blam]

Shoot the SOB!

[ladyinred]

Oh, I thought it was either Jimmy Carter, or Bill Clinton when I saw the headline.

[Chad Fairbanks]

I wonder how much money he donated to the DNC, too...

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

He should be released on Wall Street at 2 am on a Friday night following the appropriate announcement to the citizens of NYC, including an official proclamation permitting unlimmited brutal treatment of terrorists and terrorist supporters. That would be fair treatment, IMO.

[tubavil]

He'll get a prayer rug, imam, halal meals, tv, library access, weight room, educational opportunities, and a collect call phone once a week..

If he's sentenced to 5 years, he will serve about 18 months with the 3 for 2 program, good behavior, overcrowding, budget cuts, and violent offender priority scheduling.

[m1-lightning]

Can Michigan sue Hezbolah to get their money back?

[APRPEH]

he may go to jail but he qualifies for foreign aid just like the PA.

[paul51]

Shoot the SOB!

Yup, 5 years, what a joke. Some war on terror.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I've noticed that these people almost always roll right over, admit everything, and plead guilty when caught. No problem to them, they just go to prison and recruit for al-Qaida while they're there. They get treated infinitely better in prison than they would in their own country by their own people.

The war on terror won't get any real teeth until al-Qaeda pulls a ship into a harbor and detonates a nuclear bomb. Pretty sad.

[Tunehead54]

     

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Search Criteria: Donor name: Makki Donor State: MI Cycle(s) selected: 2004, 2002 Start another search

Sort by Name Sort by Date Sort by Amount

Total for this search: $4,000

Contributor	Occupation	Date	Amount	Recipient
MAKKI, LINDA DEARBORN,MI 48128		8/10/2001	$2,000	Republican State Cmte of Michigan
MAKKI, LINDA DEARBORN,MI 48128	HOMEMAKER	5/20/2002	$1,000	Dingell, John D
MAKKI, MOHAMAD DEARBORN,MI 48128	DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS/CHIEF	5/20/2002	$1,000	Dingell, John D

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Source: http://www.opensecrets.org/

Don't know if Hassan M. Makki is married to Linda. ;-)

[BushisTheMan]

Hezbollah, in a statement faxed to The Associated Press in Beirut following the indictments, denied any link to Makki.

Looks like Hezbollah pays a great deal of interest to what the press is saying...exactly why the Democrats running for presidential election are commiting "treason" in my mind...they are giving false hope to the terrorists that the Democrats will win in 2004 and the terriorists can return to the "good ol' days" before Bush started taking them on.

[sheik yerbouty]

Make him sing first!

[Napoleon Solo]

Can't we stay on the topic and instead of looking under every log for a DNC supporter, find a way to off these specific vermin who are overtaking our society and supporting terrorists here and around the world?

The DNC supporters will be taken care of in other ways. Lets get rid of all these foreign haters first and then deal with the DNC!