Posted on 02/18/2005 9:23:47 AM PST by wanderin
Federal prosecutors announced Thursday they have indicted Pete Seda, the head of the Ashland branch of the Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation, on fraud and tax charges.
Seda, also known as Pirouz Sedaghaty and Abu Yunus, and another officer of the foundation, Soliman Hamd Al-Buthe, are part of a three-count indictment for illegally transporting $150,000 to Saudi Arabia.
The indictment, filed in U.S. District Court in Eugene, charges them with conspiracy to defraud the United States, filing a false IRS return for a tax-exempt corporation and failure to file a report of international transportation of currency.
Known locally as a peace activist, Seda has been living in the Middle East since before investigators raided his Ashland residence last February as part of a money laundering and tax evasion case.
The federal grand jury in Eugene, which filed the indictment, did not charge Seda as a terrorist.
The indictment notes that documents of incorporation filed by Al-Haramain state, "Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation Inc. stands against terrorism, injustice or subversive activities in any form and shall not support any statement or acts of terrorism."
The indictment alleges the money was destined for Chechnyan rebels, who are being supported by Muslim fighters in a jihad, or holy war, to defeat Russian forces.
Last September, the Bush administration designated the Saudi Arabia-based Al-Haramain as a group suspected of supporting terrorism through its only U.S.-based location in Ashland and through a mosque in Springfield, Mo.
The government charges Seda and his foundation with concealing financial transactions "through deceit, craft, trickery and dishonest means."
Seda first started the Al-Haramain branch on Oct. 27, 1997, establishing an account with Bank of America in Ashland. In Dec. 31, 1999, he filed for tax-exempt status, according to the indictment.
In February 2000, the U.S. government alleges an Egyptian donated $150,000 to Al-Haramain in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to be sent to Chechnya.
The funds were transferred to an Al-Haramain bank account in Ashland, then converted into 130 $1,000 traveler’s checks by Seda and Al-Buthe.
In addition, Seda purchased a $21,000 cashier’s check from Bank of America in March 2000 payable to Al-Buthe, the indictment states.
Al-Buthe then covertly took the money out of the United States in March 2000, then cashed the $1,000 traveler’s check and cashier’s check at Al Raijhi Banking and Investment in Saudi Arabia, the indictment alleges. It is a violation of federal law to transport more than $10,000 in traveler’s checks out of the country without filing a report with the U.S. government.
The indictment doesn’t specifically charge Seda with money laundering, or specify whether the money ended up in the hands of Chechnyan rebels.
The government charges that Seda, Al-Buthe and the foundation engaged in a conspiracy by failing to fill out paperwork acknowledging the funds were leaving the United States and by filing a false tax return that concealed how the money was transferred. Seda claimed on his tax return that the money had been used to purchase a building in Missouri, rather than being transported out of the country.
If convicted of the allegations, Seda could face up to eight years in prison and Al-Buthe up to 10 years. The indictment seeks $130,000 to be forfeited from the U.S. branch of Al-Haramain.
The IRS, federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the FBI were involved in the investigations.
"The system of charitable donations in the United States is built on trust, honesty and integrity," U.S. Attorney Karin Immergut said in a statement. "The Department of Justice has a duty to investigate and prosecute any cases where the trust is abused criminally."
No covert activity in any mosque located in the USA by the religion of peace.
Well, that's certainly reassuring!/sarcasm off
I do not have time to post it right now.
Ping
Yeah I feel so safe NOW
NOTTT LOL!
UPDATE...
Note: The following text is an exact quote:
---
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/2005/09/008072print.html
September 12, 2005
Oregon: Charges dismissed in Islamic charity case
However, "the government could choose to file criminal charges against the defunct Ashland group in the future." From The Oregonian, with thanks to the Constantinopolitan Irredentist:
A federal judge in Eugene on Thursday dismissed criminal charges against a defunct Islamic organization in Ashland, a ruling that preserves the government's ability to bring criminal charges against the charity in the future if they decide to.
Al Haramain Islamic Foundation Inc. in Ashland was indicted in February on two tax charges for its role in allegedly laundering $150,000 in donations five years ago to help foreign Islamic fighters. The charity has been designated a terrorist organization by Treasury officials who say the group has links to al-Qaida.
Federal prosecutors sought to drop the case against Al Haramain last month, saying it would be a waste to continue because it is a functionless shell. However, the two men who ran the group are considered international fugitives who are wanted by federal authorities.
Pete Seda, an Ashland tree trimmer also known as Perouz Sedaghaty, established the Oregon charity in 1997 with support from a Saudi operation with a similar name. The charity operated a prayer house and distributed Islamic literature to prisoners.
The indictment accusing the foundation charged Seda and a Saudi named Soliman Al-Buthe with tax crimes relating to the $150,000 in donations. The indictment said foreign donations deposited with the charity in Ashland were sent overseas by Seda and Al-Buthe to support Islamic fighters in Chechnya. The indictment said Al Haramain reported on its 2000 tax return that the money was used to buy a mosque building in Missouri.
Posted at September 12, 2005 04:50 AM
2010 : (OREGON : AL HARAMAIN TERROR CHARITY DIRECTOR PETE SEDA IS CONVICTED) SNIPPET: “A jury in Oregon convicted Al-Haramain director Pete Seda in 2010 of filing a false tax return to hide $130,000 in traveler’s checks routed the charity that may have ended up in the hands of Chechen militants.” ----------Saudi Officials Try To Shut Down Oregon Charity: Group Owns Property In Ashland , For The Record - The IPT Blog “Appeals Court Rejects Al Haramain Damages” by IPT News • TUES Aug 7, 2012 at 5:11 pm More at link
update ping
Thanks Piasa for the ping and updating this thread.
Here’s a thread I’ve been updating:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1147611/posts
MONEY JIHAD - blog: "UN REMOVES FUGITIVE FINANCIER FROM ALQAEDA LIST" (SNIPPET: "While Seda faced the U.S. justice system, al-Buthe eluded it, but remained under international sanctions--until now.") (February 25, 2013) (Read More…)
SHARIA FINANCE WATCH.org - blog: "UNITED NATIONS CAVES TO SAUDI AND OIC INFLUENCE, REMOVES SAUDI OFFICIAL WHO IS AL QAEDA FINANCIER FROM SANCTIONS LIST" (SNIPPET: "One such individual is Soliman al-Buthe, who is currently a Saudi government official and previously started a charity here in the United States in Oregon that has been tied to Al Qaeda. This week, the UN has decided to remove al-Buthe from its Al Qaeda sanctions list.") (February 13, 2013) (Read More…)
bump
alQaeda / Iran / Saudi / Chechnya bump
Thanks for the bump, Piasa.
Wonder who all was involved in wanting to shut this investigation down.
Buthi was in contact with Amerithrax’s Ali a Timimi.
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