Moneyman For Hamas Found Innocent

The other day, I posted about a case in Brooklyn where a judge in the US District Court has ruled that Palestinian terrorists are...terrorists:

A federal judge in Brooklyn is allowing Israeli victims of Palestinian terrorism to sue the Jordan-based Arab Bank, which is accused of supporting terrorism by opening bank accounts for the relatives of suicide bombers.

In a ruling released yesterday, Judge Nina Gershon of U.S. District Court in Brooklyn rejected Arab Bank's assertion that the terrorism of the second intifada does not violate international norms.

But I also mentioned that there is still another case--in Chicago--of Muhammad Salah, where the judge found that Hamas is a political party, and the defense claimed that the Israel Lobby was involved. The verdict is now in:

A U.S. jury found two Palestinian-born men not guilty on Thursday of carrying out what prosecutors said was a 15-year conspiracy to illegally finance Hamas terrorist activities in Israel.

Muhammad Salah, 53, and co-defendant Abdelhaleem Ashqar, 48, were acquitted of racketeering conspiracy, the major charge against them and one that could have drawn a sentence of 40 years to life.

They were found guilty on lesser obstruction of justice charges, relating in Salah's case to a statement denying membership in Hamas. Ashqar was found guilty on two counts for refusing to answer questions from two grand juries. The obstruction charges call for up to a five-year sentence, but also allow for probation, lawyers said.

This from a jury that complained of mental fatigue. Apparently they believed the defense that the confession that Salah gave was coerced, and that the defendants were only involved in charitable work.

The verdict is very disappointing.

Technorati Tag: Hamas.