Former lawmaker charged in terrorism case
Where there's smoke - there's smoke. Sometimes,
mirrors.
A former congressman has been charged in connection with his work for an Islamic charity accused of funneling money to an Afghan warlord, prosecutors announced Wednesday…
The money laundering, conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges against former Michigan Rep. Mark Deli Siljander are part of a 42-count indictment released by the U.S. attorney’s office in Kansas City, Missouri.
Siljander “vehemently denies the allegations in the indictment and will enter a not guilty plea,” said his attorney, James Hobbs.
Prosecutors allege Siljander’s co-defendants — the directors of an Islamic charity — hired him to get the organization off a list of agencies suspected of links to terrorism and paid him with stolen U.S. government funds…
Siljander is accused of lying to federal agents and prosecutors about his work for the group, which allegedly steered $260,000 to Gulbuddin Hekmatyar — an ally of the Taliban and al Qaeda.
Read through the details. As far as I can see, no one in this chain of charges has been found guilty of anything - yet. Though indicting a former member of Congress isn’t exactly commonplace.
Posted: Thu - January 17, 2008 at 07:25 AM