Ex-Congressman Charged With Raising Terrorism Funds

[Kathianne]

Just heard this on tv:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,323250,00.html


Ex-Congressman, U.N. Delegate Indicted as Part of Terrorist Fundraising Ring

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

AP


WASHINGTON —
A former congressman and delegate to the United Nations was indicted Wednesday as part of a terrorist fundraising ring that allegedly sent more than $130,000 to an Al Qaeda and Taliban supporter who has threatened U.S. and international troops in Afghanistan.

The former Republican congressman from Michigan, Mark Deli Siljander, was charged with money laundering, conspiracy and obstructing justice for allegedly lying about lobbying senators on behalf of an Islamic charity that authorities said was secretly sending funds to terrorists.

A 42-count indictment, unsealed in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., accuses the Islamic American Relief Agency of paying Siljander $50,000 for the lobbying — money that turned out to be stolen from the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Siljander, who served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, was appointed by President Reagan to serve as a U.S. delegate to the United Nations for one year in 1987....

[Hagbard Celine]

Ugh. Disgusting.

[Gaffer]

Before they even said where he was from I knew it would be Michigan. Since he was a repub it should get lots of news play.

[Pale Rider]

It was 21 years ago he was in the congress. He's had a long time to screw up his life since then.

[Immanuel]

Deleted comment

[5stringJeff]

Hang 'em high.

[LiberalNation]

Nah hangings to much. All he basically did was money launder from a charity linked to a terrorist guy. Not knowingly support the terrorist which would be treason and remember we weren't at war with the taleban at this time, were we.

[5stringJeff]

Laundering money for al Qaeda is supporting al Qaeda.

[LiberalNation]

You'd have to prove he knew his money laundering was helping to support al qaeda if your gona claim treason.

[Yurt]

You'd have to prove he knew his money laundering was helping to support al qaeda if your gona claim treason.

so far, the indictment says he lied. if true, this ways heavily towards his knowledge. if he had nothing to hide, why lie?

[LiberalNation]

Cuz he was pocketing money he shouldn't have been.

[PostmodernProphet]

from what I am reading locally, it was a question of greed rather than politics....he took a bribe to launder some funds.....

[Yurt]

pmp and ln:

where are you getting your facts or circumstantial evidence that this guy knew "nothing" about where the money was funneled to? are you saying he had no idea who the henchman overseas was? he had no idea "why" he was stealing money or converting money. none, nope, none.

is that what you saying?

[PostmodernProphet]

pmp and ln:

where are you getting your facts or circumstantial evidence that this guy knew "nothing" about where the money was funneled to? are you saying he had no idea who the henchman overseas was? he had no idea "why" he was stealing money or converting money. none, nope, none.

is that what you saying?

???....I have made no claim that he knew nothing.....I live about thirty miles from his district and read the local papers.....what they are saying, in essence, is that he didn't care what their politics were, he simply wanted money.......in other words, he didn't do it because he favored what they were doing, he did it because he didn't give a shit what they were doing.....

[NATO AIR]

Greed will kill us in this country more than any jihadist ever could. It'll be the greed of some dirtbag like this guy supposedly is who launders money, or the one who takes a bribe to let someone in on the country, or all the traitors in DC who shill for Saudi, Israel, China and other foreign countries. He may be a liberal who's out there but Edwards has the best idea of the 2008 campaign thus far.... ban politicians and government figures from ever working for foreign countries.

Rudy's done it, Hillary's done it, Romney, etc. It needs to stop.

[Yurt]

???....I have made no claim that he knew nothing.....I live about thirty miles from his district and read the local papers.....what they are saying, in essence, is that he didn't care what their politics were, he simply wanted money.......in other words, he didn't do it because he favored what they were doing, he did it because he didn't give a shit what they were doing.....

one can do something for greed, however, in this case, your statement and prior post do not amount to some evidence that he didn't know. he may have not cared about what the receiving end did with the money, but where is your proof he absolutely had no idea what they did with the money. Even a inkling. are you supposing that he thought the money was going to a little ol church lady in england?

i find it hard to believe that if someone funnels that amount of money to "someone," they would not "peek" into the "someone." if you believe otherwise, i have this charity at band camp..........

[PostmodernProphet]

your statement and prior post do not amount to some evidence that he didn't know

I am confused why you think I am trying to say he didn't know...especially since in my last post I said "I have made no claim that he knew nothing".....