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The Arab News is touting a decision by US District Court (SDNY) Judge Richard Conway Casey dismissing a series of consolidated insurance company lawsuits against Saleh Kamel and his Dallah Al Barakat Group (not to be confused with the Al Barakaat group of companies designated by OFAC as a terrorism financing institution). This follows on Judge Casey's dismissal last year of lawsuits against Saleh Kamel and Al Barakat brought by the families of the 9/11 victims. At that time Judge Casey found no basis for holding Kamel or his investment company liable despite allegations that he had invested in, and was otherwise associated with banks and other financial institutions that had channeled funds to the terrorists. Kamel was one of the names prominently listed in the so-called Golden Chain, which purported to be a list of potential al Qaeda financiers. Judge Casey reportedly issued a five page memorandum explaining his ruling and that ruling will be linked here when it becomes available.
It will be interesting to compare the rationale for Judge Casey's latest ruling with the rulings in the recent Nat-west and Credit Lyonnais cases, and the decision in the Boim Case -- all of which maintained that banks and other financial institutions that knowingly provided financial services for the the benefit of terrorist organizations may be held liable. Some 16 different lawsuits have been filed against Kamel, but his attorney, Martin McMahon believes this ruling will lead to all of them ultimately being dismissed against his client.
Are they going to use the Wookie defense?
Les documents originaux de la GOLDEN CHAIN
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GOLDEN CHAIN LIST ANALYSIS & PROFILES
CONTEXT
The Golden Chain list (or list of wealthy Saudi sponsors) was presented by the US government as Exhibit 5 in the Department of Justice "Government's Evidentiary Proffer Supporting the Admissibility of Coconspirator Statements" in the case of USA v. Arnaout (USDC, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division) filed on January 29, 2003. The list was also mentioned in the Indictment of Enaam Arnaout on October 9, 2002 (02 CR 892). According to the US government, the document is "a list of people referred to within Al Qaida as the "Golden Chain", wealthy donors to mujahideen efforts".
Originally, the document was seized by the Bosnian police during searches in the offices of Benevolence International Foundation in Sarajevo on March 2002. The list was part of a computer file labeled "Tareekh Osama", or "Osama History", containing scanned images of several documents. The computer files seized in Bosnia were delivered to the US Embassy soon after the raids. Our team was granted access to these documents following an order of the Supreme Court of Bosnia Herzegovina issued on March 6, 2003.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Al-Qaida list of top 20 Saudi financial sponsors include 6 bankers and 12 businessmen, among which 2 former ministers. Only two on the list have not been yet identified with certainty.
According to our estimates, their cumulative corporate net worth totals more than $85 billion US, or 42% of the Saudi annual GNP and equivalent to the annual GNP of Venezuela.
These prominent businessmen and bankers own or control 16 companies ranking among the top 100 Saudi companies.
The complete list of Saudi donors and Al-Qaida recipients (25 names) include 8 individuals already named in the complaint. We should note that the most virulent Saudi statements against the lawsuit were issued by those listed in the "Golden Chain", especially Saleh Abdullah Kamel.
Among the most notable findings, we should highlight the following
-Confirmation that the Bin Laden family has been a major contributor to Usama, despite its statements denying such support
-Involvement of bankers representing the three largest Saudi banks (National Commercial Bank, Riyad Bank, Al Rajhi Banking and Investment Corp)
-Involvement of former oil ministers Sheikh Yamani and Taher
-Involvement of most of them in charity organizations as founders or board members
AL QAIDA DONORS
SULEIMAN AL-RASHID
Al-Rashid Trading & Contracting (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
ABDEL QADER BAKRI (ABDULKADER [AL] BAKRI)
CEO, Bakri Group of Cos
CEO, Al Bakri International Power Co. Ltd (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
CEO, Al-Bakri Shipping Group (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
CEO, Alkhomasia Shipping and Maintenance Company Ltd (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
CEO, Red Sea Marine Services (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
CEO, Diners Club International (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
Bakri Group formed in April 2002 a JV with the Malaysian International Shipping Corporation (MISC) to operate in Middle-East countries, including Yemen. MISC leased super tanker MT Limburg when it was attacked on October 6, 2002, coming from Ra's Tannura (Saudi Arabia).
BIN LADEN BROTHERS
Saudi Binladin Group (SBG)
Bakr Bin Laden
YOUSIF JAMEEL (YOUSSEF [YOUSEF] JAMEEL)
CEO, Abdul Lateef Jameel Group (donated SR8 million to support Saudi Red Crescent Society's relief work in Kosovo in 1999)
Former Board member, major shareholder, Global Natural Resources Inc. (Houston, Texas)
IBRAHIM AFANDI (IBRAHIM MUHAMMAD AFANDI)
Board member, Ibn Baz Foundation (President: Prince Salman, VP: Abdulaziz bin Fahd)
Board member, IIRO
Chairman, Al Afandi Establishment (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
CEO Al Afandi Germany (Frankenberg)
CEO, Sky Muzn Holding Co. BV (Netherlands)
CEO, Saudi Industrial Services Company (Sisco) with partners Xenel Industries and Dallah Al Baraka
Founder, Great Saudi Development & Investment Co. (GSDIC)
Founder, Arabian Company for Development and Investment Limited (ACDIL)
Chairman, National Committee of Saudi Contractors
Partner, African Company (Sudan), with Al Rajhi Bank and Dallah Al Baraka
Former General manager and shareholder of Al Amoudi Group
Owner, Gang Ranch (Canada), second largest ranch in North America
Owner, Skylight Corp, Georgia, USA
Owner, BSA Investments (complaint from LTV Steel Company, Inc)
US address: 6914 Los Verdes Dr Apt 6, Rch Palos Vrd, CA 90275
SALEH KAMEL (SALEH ABDULLAH KAMEL)
Born in 1941, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
CEO, Dallah Al Baraka (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) - 3rd largest Saudi company
Chairman Arab Radio & Television (ART)
Founding member and shareholder, Al Shamal Islamic Bank (Khartoum, Sudan)
Partner, Tamlik Company Ltd (with Mohamed Binladen Co., Saleh Bin Laden)
Shareholder, Jordan Islamic Bank
Vice Chairman Bank Al Jazira
Founder, Iqraa International Foundation
AL-RAJHI (SULEIMAN ABDULAZIZ AL RAJHI)
Board member, IIRO
Board member, Ibn Baz Foundation
CEO, Al Rajhi Banking and Investment Company (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) - 9th largest Saudi company, 4th largest Saudi commercial bank
AL-JUMAIH (MOHAMMAD BIN ABDULLAH AL-JOMAIH)
Board member IIRO
Board member, Ibn Baz Foundation
Member of the Committee for collection of donations for supporting the Intifada (Chairman Prince Salman
Chairman First Islamic Investment Bank
+300 companies
Al Birr donor
Bosnia donor
AL-SHARBATLY (ABDULRAHMAN HASSAN [ABBAS] SHARBATLY)
Founder and board member, Riyad Bank (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) - 7th largest Saudi company and 2nd largest Saudi commercial bank (Abdulrahman A. Al-Amoudi, Senior Executive Vice President)
Offices in Houston, Texas (Riyad Bank Houston Agency, 700 Louisiana, suite 4770, Houston, Texas 77002, USA)
Board member, Beirut Ryad Bank SAL (with Prince Khaled bin Turki and Abdullah Taha Bakhsh)
Board member, Saudi Arabian Refinery Company (Chairman Prince Khaled bin Turki, directors include Kaaki (bin Mahfouz) and Al Rajhi)
Shareholder, Middle East Capital Group (shareholders include Abdullah Taha Bakhsh, Henry Sarkissian -President Saudi Binladin Group International-, Sami Baarma -National Commercial Bank-)
CEO, Saudi Arabian Marketing Agencies and Company Ltd (Shareholder : Salem Mohammad Bin Laden) Ferrari, Porsche, Audi and Volkswagen dealer
Shareholder, Egyptian Gulf Bank
Shareholder, Golden Pyramids Plaza Co
Shareholder, Savola Snack Food Co. Ltd (with Saleh bin Mahfouz and Abdullah Taha Bakhsh)
MOHAMED YOUSEF AL-NAGHI
Al Naghi Brothers Co (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
BIN MAHFOODH (KHALID BIN MAHFOUZ)
Former COO, BCCI
Former CEO, National Commercial Bank, 1st Saudi commercial bank
Founder, Muwafaq Foundation
Founder, International Development Foundation
ABDEL QADER FAQEEH (ADEL FAQIH)
Board member, Ibn Baz Foundation
Chairman, Bank Al Jazira
Chairman, Savola Group (Sharbatly), merged with Azizia Panda (Walid bin Talal) - 13th largest Saudi company
Chairman, Makkah Construction & Development Company
SALAH AL-DIN ABDEL JAWAD (SALAHUDDIN ABDULJAWAD)
CEO, General Machinery Agencies (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) Agent for General Motors, Wacker Corp, Mannesmann, Renault (RVI), Opel
Board member, United Gulf Industries Corp, Manama, Bahrain (with Khalil Bin Laden)
Partner, Savola Snack Food Co. Ltd (with Saleh Bin Mahfouz, Abdullah Taha Bakhsh, Prince Mishail Bin Abdullah Bin Turki, Abdulrahman Sharbatly)
Founder of several scholarship funds (Berkeley, Oxford -including the Salahuddin Abduljawad Fellowship in Islamic Art History) through Barakat Trust (UK) and Barakat Foundation (USA) with Xenel Industries Ltd and Khalid Alireza
AHMAD TURKI YAMANI (AHMED ZAKI YAMANI)
Born in 1930, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Son of former Saudi Chief Justice
Former Saudi minister of petroleum and mineral resources
Former director, ARAMCO
Founder, Investcorp (Board members include Abdullah Taha Bakhsh)
ABDEL HADI TAHER (ABDUL HADI TAHER)
CEO, Taher Group of Companies, 52nd largest Saudi company
Owner, Marketing General Trading Corp (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
Shareholder, Arab Company for Hotels & Contracting Ltd (with Ahmed Zaki Yamani)
Former Minister of State
Former Governor of the Saudi state oil company Petromin, under responsibility of Ahmed Zaki Yamani
Former director, Saudi European Bank (Paris), held 25% of the bank shares along with Ahmed Zaki Yamani
MOHAMMED OMAR
???
AL KUWAIT
???
AHMAD AL HARBI
CEO, Ahmad Al Harbi Group
(L'Houssaine Kherchtou testified on February 21, 2001, during the trial of suspected al-Qaida militants in connection with the bombings of the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania on 7 August 1998, that he was welcomed at Miram Shah guest house in Pakistan before joining Al-Qaida by "Abu Ahmed al Harbi").
AL ISSAEI (MOHAMMED AL-ISSAI)
Board member, Saudi Research & Marketing Company (with Mohammed Hussein al-Amoudi, Saleh Abdullah Kamel, Abdullah Bin Khalid Bin Mahfouz, Dallah Albaraka Group) - 20th largest Saudi company
CEO, Al Issai Trade Company (Daimler-Chrysler representative)
Deputy Chairman, Arab Cement Company (shareholders include Binladin Group, Bin Mahfouz, Al Rajhi - Chairman: Turki Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud)
HAMAD AL HUSAINI (HAMAD AL HUSSAINI)
CEO, Akel Trading Company
CEO, Akel Agricultural Investment Company LLC
CEO, Al Hussaini and Company
Board member of Al Waqf Al Islami Foundation (Netherlands)
Brother of Abdullah Osman Abdulrahman Al Hussaini, General Director of Al Waqf Al Islami Foundation, owner of Al Furqan Mosque in Netherlands (linked to MWL, Mounir El Motassadeq and Marwan El Shehhi
Family member include Walid Al Hussaini, representative of Abdullah Al Turki (former minister of Islamic Affairs, Secretary General of MWL, linked to Mohammad Zouaydi -Spanish procedure-)
AL-QAIDA RECIPIENTS
Major recipients appear to be Usama Bin laden and Adel Abdul Jalil Batterjee. They receive donations from 13 donors.
USAMA (USAMA BIN LADEN)
Receives donations from the most prominent in the list: Bin Laden Brothers, Al Rajhi, Sharbatly, Al Naghi, Bin Mahfouz, Adel Faqih, Al Kuwait
WAIL (WAEL HAMZA JULAIDAN)
Former Secretary General of the Muslim World League and Rabita Trust in Pakistan, designated by the United States Treasury as SGDT
Receives donations from Suleiman Al Rashid, Abdulkader Bakri, Salahuddin Abduljawad, Abdul Tahi Taher
BATERJI (ADEL ABDUL JALIL BATTERJEE)
Chairman Al Shamal Islamic Bank (Khartoum, Sudan)
Founder, Al-Birr Society, Benevolence International Foundation
Former Secretary General, World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY)
Receives donations from Yousef Jameel, Ibrahim Afandi, Saleh Abdullah Kamel, Mohammad Bin Abdullah Al Jomaih, Ahmed Zaki Yamani and Mohammed Omar
ABU MAZIN ( ??? MAZIN M. BAHARETH)
Son of Mohammed Saleh Bahareth (brother of Usama Bin Laden father's wife and tutor of the Bin Laden family after patriarch Mohammad Bin Laden's death in 1968)
CEO, Bahareth Organization (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
Shareholder, Triple B Trading GmbH (Germany) - with Hassan Bahfzallah and Shahir A. I. Batterjee, Secretary: Abdul-Martin Tatari
Receives donations from Hamad Al Hussaini
SALEM TAHER
Receives donations from Ahmad Al Harbi and Mohammed Al Issai
If it's detrimental to the USA in any manner, Klintoon or Jimmah put the mope on the bench.
Casey, Richard ConwayAnd then we get asshats like Sandy baby saying Federal judges shouldn't be criticized.
Nominated by William J. Clinton on July 16, 1997
Hell, criticism should be the least of their concerns. They should be impeached for sedition, then jailed.
Pretty crappy article. Doesn't even mention the basis for the suit. Do you know anything regarding what the case is about?
Hardly. It just means the plaintiffs haven't established standing and/or the court lacks jurisdiction.
I wonder if the government has ever charged this guy with anything. Do you know?