Posted on 02/10/2003 8:17:23 AM PST by Mr_Magoo
February 10, 2003 ASSOCIATED PRESS
The head of an Islamic charity linked by federal prosecutors to Osama bin Ladin pleaded guilty Monday to racketeering charges but did not admit any connection to the terrorist mastermind.
Enaam Arnaout, 41, a Syrian-born U.S. citizen, acknowledged that he had sent some of the money raised through his Benevolence International Foundation to purchase boots and uniforms for rebels in Chechnya, who are fighting the Russian army.
He also acknowledged sending support for the purchase of boots, tents, uniforms and an ambulance for soldiers in Bosnia.
Arnaout pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy as U.S. District Judge Suzanne B. Conlon was preparing to select a jury for his trial on charges that included giving support for bin Ladin's network. Prosecutors dropped all but one count of the seven count indictment.
The government dropped a charge of the indictment that accused him of using his Palos Hills, Ill.-based foundation to help bin Ladin's al-Qaida terrorism network.
Under federal law, Arnaout could be sentenced to 20 years in prison on the racketeering conspiracy charge. Federal prosecutors said if he cooperates with them in future investigations that sentence could be considerably lower.
When Arnaout's indictment was announce by U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, who flew to Chicago to unveil the charges at a news conference, he said that if convicted on all charges Arnaout could get have faced 90 years in prison.
Charity director pleads guilty
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