MISTRIAL IN US MUSLIM CHARITY CASE

Dealing a stunning blow to the Bush administration, a US District court judge declared a mistrial on almost all of the counts against an Islamic charity accused of funnelling money to the Palestinian resistance group Hamas. Presiding Judge A.

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June 13, 2022

Dealing a stunning blow to the Bush administration, a US District court judge declared a mistrial on almost all of the counts against an Islamic charity accused of funnelling money to the Palestinian resistance group Hamas. Presiding Judge A. Joe Fish declared a mistrial on the vast majority of the nearly 200 counts applying to the six accused, including the Holy Land Foundation itself, Reuters reported. Fish declared the mistrial after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict in the trial of the Texas-based charity after 19 days of deliberations. Government prosecutors allege the foundation raised millions of dollars for the Palestinian group Hamas, but they do not accuse the charity of directly financing “militant” activities. Prosecutors say humanitarian aid was used to promote Hamas and allow it to divert existing funds to “militant” activities. The case has been a cause célèbre for American Muslims since the government froze the charity’s assets, totalling millions of dollars, less than two months after the 9/11 attacks.