Shukri Abu Baker Charged with Supporting Terror

An FBI agent testified Monday, July 30, that leaders of a local Muslim charity helped to plot a disruption aimed at derailing a Middle East peace accord.^[1] The FBI asserted that the charity, the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, was motivated by the fear that the accord would prevent the elimination of Israel.^[2] The group allegedly met to discuss a way for Hamas to block the Oslo accords, a deal which would have led to Palestinian self-rule but also coexistence with Israel.^[3]

The agent said leaders of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development were among U.S.-based supporters of the Palestinian militant group Hamas who met at a Philadelphia hotel in 1993.^[4] The agent said the FBI bugged the conference room, capturing conversations in which Holy Land Chief Executive Shukri Abu Baker repeatedly told attendees to refer to Hamas as ''Samah,'' or Hamas spelled backwards.^[5]

The Philadelphia meeting was highlighted in the 2004 indictment against the leaders of Holy Land, which was the nation's largest Muslim charity until federal agents shut it down in December 2001.^[6] The testimony of FBI agent Lara Burns provided additional details about the event, including the participation of leaders of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a leading U.S. Muslim-rights group.^[7]

Baker and four other former Holy Land officials are charged with aiding a terrorist group, conspiracy and money laundering for allegedly funneling millions of dollars to Hamas through charities controlled by the militants.^[8]

Contributing or supplying services to designated terrorist groups (or conspiring to contribute or supply services to these entities), is a violation of regulations issued under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act,^[9] we have previously discussed IEEPA in this blog, here.

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^[1] David Koenig, Feds Build Case Against Muslim Charity, Associated Press Newswire, August 4, 2007, available at LEXIS, News Library, Wire News Services File.
^[2] Id.
^[3] Id.
^[4] Id.
^[5] Id.
^[6] Id.
^[7] Id.
^[8] Id.
^[9] 50 U.S.C. §§ 1701-07 (2007).