U.S. Court Sentences Muslims to Terms of 15 to 65 Years for Aiding Hamas

Five defendants convicted of funneling money to Hamas were sentenced by a U.S. District judge in Dallas to terms ranging from 20 to 65 years. The case centered on The Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, which held itself out as a charity that served the Palestinian poor, but which prosecutors charged was a sophisticated operation that channeled large sums of money to Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The U.S. District Court in Dallas found the defendants guilty on 108 counts last November. Two men described as founders of the organization received sentences of 65 years, while a half-brother of Hamas leader-in-exile Khalid Mash’al was sentenced to a term of 20 years. Four of the defendants charged with money laundering were slapped with a $12.5 million judgment as well. At the sentencing, all five defendants maintained that they only served the poor. Their supporters claimed the five are victims of anti-Muslim hysteria.