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Illinois Charity Director Linked to Al Qaeda
Wednesday, October 9, 2002
By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service

The grand jury charged Arnaout with one count of engaging in a racketeering enterprise; one count of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists; two counts of money laundering; two counts of mail fraud; and one count of wire fraud. If convicted on all the charges, Arnaout could face a maximum 90 years' imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

WASHINGTON -- AFIS
Attorney General John Ashcroft vowed today to find the sources of "terrorist blood money" and shut them down.

Appearing at a press conference in Chicago, the attorney general announced that a grand jury had indicted Enaam Arnaout, director of Benevolence International Foundation, an Illinois-based charity, for channeling money to terrorists. The grand jury charged Arnaout with conspiracy to fraudulently obtain charitable donations to provide financial assistance to organizations engaged in violence and terrorism.

"There is no moral distinction between those who carry out terrorist attacks and those who knowingly finance terrorist attacks," Ashcroft said. "We will ensure that both the terrorists and their financiers meet the same swift, certain justice of the United States of America."

Documents found in the Benevolence International Foundation's Bosnia offices in March, he said, "show the American people and show the world, for the first time, tangible proof of the founding of the world's most dangerous terrorist network and the oath of allegiance its members pledge.
(More: DoD News Source)
2002 © The United States Department of Defense.

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