Orthodox Jewish Dealer Is Said to Aid Scheme on Terrorist Funds

The New York Times ^ | August 14, 2003 | MICHAEL SLACKMAN

[mr.pink]

...please don't tell me they are going to sweep this one under the rug!

Well the Florida dentist and his accomplices, armed to the teeth (quasi- militarily....50 cals., rockets, full atuos and land mines) and with plans to inflict mass carnage, were given extremely soft sentences in minimum security prisons (mastermind out in 12, accomplices out in 3).

I have to expect this guy will get special treatment as well.

[dennisw]

He had to know he was transacting with a Muslim........


One article claims the man is Hindu.

[dennisw]

You get all excited because this 76 year old "terrorist" is Jewish. I doubt he was told anything more than what he needed to know to transfer (launder?) money for this scheme. IOW he's a money man and not a plotter of terror.

[mr.pink]

The double standard you are displaying is wonderful to behold. I've never seen you extend so much benefit of the doubt to an active participant in the pursuit of inflicting mass terror on your fellow Americans before. I 100% sure you'd be equaly as charitable if this terrorist enabler/profiteer was French. ;o)

You either "with us"...or your "with the terrorists", right dennis?

I know where I am.

[xm177e2]

He laundered the money and knew nothing about the plot to fire a missile at at civilian airplane.

That's his story and he's probably telling the truth. Why would the other guys want to tell him what the money was really for?

Still, he committed crimes that helped terrorists. If you drive drunk and accidentally kill someone, you end up with a bigger punishment than if you drive drunk and get pulled over by a cop for swerving in your lane. Lock him and make an example of him. Money launderers should especially not be helping Arabs or Muslims.

[dennisw]

Your comments are a hoot. Some 76 year old Jewish diamond merchant hardly fits the terrorist profile. He is a money man who got in over his head and knows nothing about any missile. That's my reasonable read of the situation.

[dennisw]

Why would the other guys want to tell him what the money was really for? ..........

Terrorism and plotting is done on a need to know basis. Unless they are totally dumb and are loud mouths.

[mr.pink]

Geez dennis, now being 76 is an excuse? You should import a midi of nice violin music into your post...it would really help set a sympathetic tone and help sell your sob story of a feeble old man getting snookered.

Again, your double standards are showing and I'm enjoying (but not the least surprised) that you're exposing of yourself as intellectually inconsistent.

[mr.pink]

Some 76 year old Jewish diamond merchant hardly fits the terrorist profile.

A florida dentist didn't really fit the terrorist profile, nor did Tim McViegh....but that they were none the less.

[Alouette]

Maybe he belongs to this gang of freaks?

[tubavil]

This government sting stinks.

We have an implausible scenario, a snitch up on federal drug charges (aka government key witness), the KGB supplying the FBI with a dummy missile, and an Orthodox Jew as the money man.

[adam_az]

Not just that, an Orthodox Jew who allagedly participates in the secretive hawala system, which is widely in the Middle East - by Muslims!

The story just broke, and not a whole lot of information has been released yet. I hope they caught some real terrorists, but I'm awful skeptical of "sting" operations, especially ones involving foreign intelligence services that are only a modicum of friendly to us.

TO those who say it's a double standard to automatically accept that a Muslim is a terrorist but a Jew is not, well, it's not if you consider statistical probability. There are daily Islamic terrorist attacks around the world, but when's the last time you heard of a Jewish suicide bomber, or Jews trying to shoot down commercial aircraft with missiles? It's definately atypical behavior, and therefore I belive worthy of some skepticism.

[mr.pink]

...but when's the last time you heard of a Jewish suicide bomber, or Jews trying to shoot down commercial aircraft with missiles?

Well, it was only about three months ago when the florida dentist and his accomplices were prevented from a perpetrating massive quasi-military attack terrorist attack on Americans.

Is it "atypical behaviour"?...why yes....but it's certainly not unheard of.

[Alouette]

Not just that, an Orthodox Jew who allagedly participates in the secretive hawala system

OK, I'll bite. I've heard of pulsa denira and there is nothing secretive about havdalah but what in the heck is hawala?????

[tubavil]

Well, it was only about three months ago when the florida dentist and his accomplices were prevented from a perpetrating massive quasi-military attack terrorist attack on Americans

The target was an islamic center, Americans in only the most peripheral sense.

His effort was in direct response to the islamic terror called 9-11.

islamic centers here teach hatred death and destruction of Jews, Christians, and anyone non-muslim.

Their funding comes primarily from saudi arabia, just like the 9-11 terrorists.

It's a very short program.

[Tom Jefferson]

I don't know this individual but I have some familiarity with the gem business. A lot of gems - diamonds, rubies,sapphires, etc. are bought for cash. It is a business where the dealers avoid reporting gains for tax purposes by dealing in cash. I am not condoning that activity, merely reporting it.

Because it is not easy to make bank deposits of cash in this country, the sellers of gems who receive cash give the cash to people like Mr. Abraham who pass it on to others for deposit abroad. They take a commission of 5% for arranging the transfer. It is a daily part of the gem business. It is not legal because of the avoidance of reporting to the IRS, but occurs all the time.

Not knowing the circumstances, I would guess that Mr. Abraham, who probably arranges the cash transfers frequently for gem dealers, did not know the purpose of the money.

That is my take on the situation.

[af_vet_1981]

The money man should be prosecuted to the fullest extent. If he can provide information and testimony on other illegal monetary transactions perhaps he can earn a deal.

Interesting quote from a Saudi prince: "He who protects or sympathizes with a terrorist is himself a terrorist and will receive his just punishment," Abdullah bin Abdulaziz told a gathering of security officials and citizens.

[swarthyguy]

Consider the following...this was going to be an undercover operation using Lakhani to penetrate terror orgs.....

One report says the BBC reported on the case thereby nullifying Lakhani's usefulness as an informant and the Feds were forced to bring down indictments.

A partial success but not what the Feds were after; an arms dealer strongarmed by the Feds into reporting on future arms for terror transactions.

[rmlew]

Stone him.

[adam_az]

http://www.interpol.int/Public/FinancialCrime/MoneyLaundering/hawala/default.asp

I prefer the Shabbat Havdala, personally - after all, you get to consume the fruit of the vine. ;)