“He suddenly drew a blank when it came to Mousa Abu Marzook, a designated terrorist.” Reminds me of how so many Muslim spokesmen stateside will talk Islamic theology all day, but they suddenly draw a blank when it comes to the doctrines of violent, offensive jihad. From AP, :
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — An Egyptian national who ran a now-defunct bank in New Jersey was found guilty Tuesday of lying to federal agents about business dealings with a leader of the militant group Hamas.
A jury convicted Soliman Biheiri, 53, who ran the BMI Inc. bank, of making false statements to federal investigators by denying a business relationship with Mousa Abu Marzook, the political leader of Hamas.
Biheiri, who has already been sentenced to one year in prison for immigration fraud, now faces up to five years in federal prison. Sentencing was set for Oct. 29.
Prosecutors said Biheiri deliberately deceived agents from the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during a June 2003 interview after arriving on a flight from Cairo.
The agents testified Biheiri told them he had no business or personal relationship with Marzook. Financial records and court testimony showed Marzook helped bring $1 million in investments to Biheiri’s company.
Prosecutors said Biheiri and Marzook engaged in financial transactions as late as 1996–one year after the U.S. government formally designated Marzook a terrorist.
During closing statements Tuesday, prosecutor David Laufman said Biheiri willingly shared details of his business deals with others, “but he suddenly drew a blank when it came to Mousa Abu Marzook, a designated terrorist.”