“They withheld information that allegedly could have made a difference in the charity receiving its tax-exempt status. That is, that Care International allegedly supported Muslim holy war and those who fight it; and that it is an outgrowth of the Al-Kifah Refuge Center, a New York-based organization that has been tied to the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center in New York.”
An update on this story. –˜Seas of blood” for jihad extolled in articles to jury,” by Lee Hammel for the Worcester Telegram & Gazette:
BOSTON”” A Muslim newspaper promoted the virtue of giving up one’s life for jihad and was critical of those who speak against it.
Excerpts from the newspaper Al-Hussam (The Sword) and from other publications
taken in 2003 from a Northboro self-storage locker rented by the charity Care International were read to a jury in U.S. District Court yesterday.
Al-Hussam quoted Abdullah Azzam, a central figure in the jihad movement, as saying Afghan Muslims, who drove the Soviets out of their country in the 1980s, “didn’t get to where they are now without courage, without mountains of martyrs, without seas of blood.”
Al-Hussam, the name of the newspaper of both Al-Kifah Refugee Center in Boston
and Care International in Boston, had an article in the Feb. 24, 1995, issue saying that “Jews, Christians and liars joined in a plan which was financed by the Saudi regime, executed and produced by Pakistan” to prevent a united Muslim government in Afghanistan.
Article after article was read to the jury, interrupted by frequent warnings from Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV that the three defendants had a right to hold and publish their views and practice their religion, and should not be punished by the jury for doing
so.
The defendants are two former Worcester residents, Emadeddin Z. Muntasser, 42,
of Braintree, and Samir Al-Monla, 50, of Boston, both former presidents of the charity; and Muhamed Mubayyid, 42, of Shrewsbury, a former treasurer of Care. All are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, scheming to conceal material facts, and obstructing and impeding the IRS.
They withheld information that allegedly could have made a difference in the charity receiving its tax-exempt status. That is, that Care International allegedly supported Muslim holy war and those who fight it; and that it is an outgrowth of the Al-Kifah Refuge Center, a New York-based organization that has been tied to the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center in New York.
Michael C. Andrews, a lawyer for Mr. Mubayyid, said the defendants are being
prosecuted for the content of their newspaper since the IRS does not have to be notified if organizations publish gardening magazines. He argued against the unfairness of reading
articles about “seas of blood” to the jury.
While Judge Saylor previously ruled against reading stories by Newsweek and The
New York Times tying Al-Kifah to jihad, he allowed the Al-Hussam articles. He said he expects the U.S. Attorney to produce IRS testimony about how the agency would have acted had it known about the existence of Al-Hussam.
Numerous Al-Hussam articles promoted the obligation to support jihad and the
virtues of martyrdom, such as the story of a young man who gave up a life of comfort to endure the rigors of battle while defending Islam, while his brother-in-law died in a soccer accident.
“When then should we not hasten in order that our death might be in the path of
Allah (in jihad) so that we may be raised up on the Day of Resurrection with the color of blood but the fragrance of musk,” the author wrote. “Whoever dies without having made up his mind to fight dies on a branch of hypocrisy.”
Sheikh Azzam wrote in “Join the Caravan,” 15 copies of which were seized from
Mr. Mubayyid’s apartment in Westboro, “Whoever advises an able Muslim not to go for jihad
is just like the one who advises him to eat in Ramadan while he is healthy and in residence.” He also wrote that “an instant in the ranks of jihad” is better than 60 years at prayers.