Posted on 09/18/2006 11:35:20 AM PDT by areafiftyone
By Debbie Schlussel
I've been writing about LIFE for Relief and Development for years, and I think my columns (especially this one), have finally made a difference. Ditto for my complaints about LIFE to Assistant U.S. Attorney for counterterrorism, Ken Chadwell.
Less than half an hour ago, the FBI began raiding LIFE and hauling out documents. Well, it's about time. LIFE--the largest Islamic charity still open for business in America--openly admitted on its 1995-'97 taxes to be a major funder of HAMAS. Headquartered in the Orthodox Jewish suburban Detroit subdivision in which I grew up, it gave millions to Human Appeal International, which the FBI identified as HAMAS' Jordanian operation. It has done many vague "Katrina," "Lebanon Relief," and "Afghanistan Wheelchair" fundraisers and believed to have laundered the money to terrorists.
Then, there are its multiple fundraisers over the last couple of years "for more Fallujahs" according to sources at a secret 2004 Los Angeles area fundraiser held by LIFE. LIFE is believed to be a major funder of the insurgent terrorists in Iraq. That's why, in 2004, the U.S. Army raided its Iraqi headquarters, frequently operated by its spokesman and operative Mohammed Alomari (more on him below).
The disturbing thing is that for years, the feds--including Homeland Security civil rights officer Daniel Sutherland, U.S. Attorney Stephen Murphy III, and his predecessor Jeffrey Collins--have feted this charity, all while it was apparently funding Islamic terrorists.
My columns on LIFE certainly made a difference with its top officers. Mohammed Alomari--LIFE's spokesman and the author of an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory book and an article complaining that there are Jews in the Bush Administration--has been harassing me ever since I started writing about him and LIFE, including this page on his website. He also has repeatedly tried to alter the already inaccurate entry on me on Wikipedia.
LIFE's in-house general counsel, Ihsan Alkhatib, wrote a column in the Arab American News calling me a "verbal terrorist," whatever that means. Alkhatib is also the President and general counsel for the Midwest Regional ADC (American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee), headed by former PFLP terrorist Imad Hamad--who also has close ties to LIFE. Senator Carl Levin, Alomari, and LIFE credited Hamad with getting LIFE USAID tax-funded status to administer our tax money in Iraq.
In 2002, LIFE led the Saddam Hussein propaganda trip that U.S. Democratic Congressmen David Bonior, Jim McDermott, and Mike Thompson, which was also funded by Iraqi oil-for-food scam artist Shakir Alkhafaji--who is living, free, in the Detroit suburb of West Bloomfield, despite $70 in earnings he obtained from doing business with Saddam.
From my 2003 column on LIFE, Imad Hamad lost a scheduled FBI award from Director Robert Mueller, because he was under investigation for terrorism:
One of those investigations apparently involves Hamad's close ties to Muthanna Al-Hanooti, Mohammed Alomari, and their charities, LIFE for Relief and Development and FAAIR (Focus on Arab American Issues and Reform). Hidden in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Southfield, Michigan, LIFE is believed to fund Hamas via contributions to Hamas front groups identified in 2001 by FBI Assistant Director for Counterterrorism and Counterintelligence, Dale Watson.
One such front, Human Appeal International, believed by the FBI to be Hamas' Jordanian operation, was listed in LIFE tax returns as one of three supported organizations receiving millions in contributions. Human Appeal and another organization LIFE works with, Human Relief Foundation, are listed as participants in the "101 days campaign" website of Sheikh Youssef Al-Qaradawi, spiritual leader of terrorist group Muslim Brotherhood. The site is believed to raise money for homicide bombings Al-Qaradawi supports.
Alomari's book, "The Secrecy of Evil", and other writings allege Jewish control of the world and the Bush administration. His Daru Salam mosque radio website claimed Jews and the U.S. "organized" the 9/11 attacks. A 1996 LIFE fundraiser, arranged by Hanooti, featured speaker Sheik Abdulmunem Abu Zant, an ardent Hamas supporter, who said, "May G-d attack the Jews and those who stand with them. May G-d attack the Americans and those who stand with them." Hanooti appeared with indicted Islamic Jihad frontman Sami Al-Arian at a recent American Muslim Council lobbying seminar. LIFE's original registered agent (under its previous name, International Relief Association), Masood Aijazi, worked for Khalid bin Mahfouz, the financier of Mawafaq Foundation, designated a terrorist charity by the U.S. government.
Hamad's relationship with these parties is long-term and tight. A 1999 press release by Hamad's American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee credits Hamad with getting Senator Carl Levin, then-Senator Spencer Abraham, and David Bonior to grant LIFE a license to send millions to Iraq. "We have a special relationship with ADC here in Detroit." Hanooti said. "This is another example of the value of cooperation between our organizations . . . to advance our common agenda." In May 2003, Hamad visited terrorist-sponsor Syria and Lebanon with Hanooti and Alomari. Given all of this, a recent FAAIR newsletter photo of Collins (below) smilingly posing between Al-Hanooti, Hamad, and Alomari, at a FAAIR event, is disturbing. It is bad enough that a U.S. Attorney would associate with known anti- Semites. Worse, if Collins' office ever indicts them, it could be embarrassing.
Apparently, I'm not such a verbal terrorist at all, because the FBI finally took my investigative work on LIFE seriously. Again, they're raiding the charity as I write.
We'll see what they do with it after that. Given the incompetence of U.S. Attorney Stephen Murphy III--who has let other Islamic terror raidees flee the country before he indicts them--I'm not holding my breath.
Bubba wrote a letter comending these guys in 1999. I'll see if I can find the text.
commending....
As war loomed in September 2002, Mr. al-Khafaji escorted Mr. Bonior on a high-profile trip to Baghdad, along with Washington Rep. Jim McDermott and California Rep. Mike Thompson. Mr. Bonior, whose office handled the arrangements, told me last month that Mr. al-Khafaji "was part of the trip and he obviously knew people, and he was connected quite well so we could get the meetings that we wanted." Mr. McDermott's spokesman likewise recalls that Mr. al-Khafaji played a central role, adding that a Michigan-based charity called Life for Relief and Development organized and paid everything. Mr. al-Khafaji told me that he'd been a financial supporter of that organization, too, though he said he couldn't remember how much--not even ballpark--he'd given over the years.
The trip proved something of a propaganda coup for Saddam, with Mr. McDermott suggesting in a televised interview from Baghdad that President Bush "would mislead the American people" while saying "I think you have to take the Iraqis at face value." Mr. al-Khafaji seems to have taken a particular shine to Mr. McDermott, resulting in another contribution--$5,000--to a legal defense fund that had been set up for the congressman in an unrelated case. "He's a friend and he gives me money," Mr. McDermott told Roll Call in February 2003.
Oh, boy...
Members of Congress Call For an End to Sanctions on Iraq
WASHINGTON - January 25 - News Advisory: The following was released today by Life for Relief and Development:
House Democratic Whip David Bonior (D-Mich.), Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), Rep. Tom Campbell (R-Calif.) and other members of Congress will join with American Muslims for Global Peace and Justice and major Muslim and Arab American organizations to call for an end to the devastating embargo on Iraq....
Check out the laundry list of pols who signed that letter. Some of the names stand out. Hope they all rate a visit from the Feds.
Watch the usual whine from the CAIR Gang about this, but nothing about their cohorts' threats to the Holy Father.
Aide says McDermott wasn't aware of Saddam link [Baghdad Jim update]
How about a bacon bits necklace, earrings and bracelet combination?
There was a raid today in Columbia Missouri also. An Iraqi family that owns a local International Foods Market. I shop there often.
http://www.showmenews.com/2006/Sep/20060918News003.asp
Life for Relief and Development....Focus: Iraq, Chechnya, Sierra Leone, Kosova.
That's interesting.
Life for Relief and Development (formerly International Relief Association) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1993.
I've also seen 1992 for the date. Again, interesting.
Life for Relief and Development is dedicated to alleviating human suffering around the world regardless of race, color or cultural background. This global organization strives to offer humanitarian, health, educational, social and economic services to victims of natural disasters, wars, hunger and more through a variety of programs. Since its inception, Life has offered services and assistance to hundreds of thousands. It also provides millions of dollars worth of much needed medicines and medical equipment annually to those in areas deprived of medical attention. Life is also involved in building, renovating and administering many schools and rehabilitation centers. Entry updated: Dec, 1999
I hope the Feds hit the motherlode.
In the U.S., the two biggest U.S.-based NGOs operating in the Islamic world are Islamic "charities" under investigation by several federal agencies for money-laundering to terrorists. One--Life for Relief and Development (LRD)--openly admitted on its tax forms to giving millions from 1995-1997 to Hamas' Jordanian operations. In 2004, at a Los Angeles fundraiser, a speaker more than hinted that money would go to train individuals for more operations "like Fallujah" (where U.S. contractors were burnt to a crisp). Its Iraq offices were raided by U.S. troops, perhaps because it was founded by men connected with Al-Qaeda.
LRD got its USAID status when "former" Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terrorist and FBI award revokee Imad Hamad lobbied Senator Carl Levin (D-MI). LRD's General Counsel is the President and attorney for Hamad's Midwest Regional American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. All of these parties are openly pro-Hezbollah. LRD's spokesman, Mohammed Alomari, is the proud author of an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory book and articles decrying Jews in the Bush Administration.
Lifeusa partners
http://www.lifeusa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=wwa_Partners
I stopped buying from muzzies along time ago
A front for terrorism no doubt.
Shut all of the "Peaceful" Trogladytes DOWN!
If we do not, we will soon be defensively shooting them in our streets.
There are a lot of pols who need to be looked at. And I hope anyone who's dirty is sweating bullets.
Sounds good to me, however, isn't this story an 'urban legend'?
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