October 21, 2008
nefafoundation.org
Between July and September 2007, prosecutors in the case against the Holy Land Foundation (HLF) and its top officials released scores of exhibits that provide unprecedented insight into the dizzying web of connections tying together a handful of alleged Hamas front groups that operated on American soil throughout the 1990s and beyond, serving as a central node in the Muslim Brotherhood's U.S. network.
NEFA Senior Analyst Josh Lefkowitz reviewed this treasure trove of documents and highlighted select exhibits. That library of exhibits trom the first HLF trial is available here. On October 22, 2007, after 19 days of deliberation, a jury failed to convict the defendants of a single charge against them. However that decision was quickly thrown into limbo when three jurors indicated during polling that they disagreed with the verdict that had just been rendered.
U.S. District Judge Joe A. Fish told jurors, "Your verdict must be unanimous and it's apparent to me from the answers of three members of the jury in respect to my question that the verdicts that I read earlier do not represent the unanimous view of the jury." The jury was ordered to continue deliberations. Following an additional 45 minutes of deliberation, the jurors informed Judge Fish that they could not reach a unanimous decision, and he declared a mistrial.
In a verdict that was not voided, Mohamed El-Mezain was acquitted on all counts except one, as jurors failed to reach a decision on whether El-Mezain conspired to provide material support to a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. In September 2008, the second Holy Land Foundation trial began; click the following link to access their catalog of exhibits released during those proceedings.
Selected Government Exhibits & Documents from the Retrial: U.S. v. Holy Land Foundation
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Right Side News commends NEFA for their unwavering diligence and expertise in their efforts to discover and pursue terrorist activities here is our country, which are ignored or below the radar of the complacent news media of our land.
The NEFA Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt, charitable organization created after the attacks of September 11, 2001. The Foundation strives to help prevent future tragedies in the U.S. and abroad by exposing those responsible for planning, funding, and executing terrorist activities, with a particular emphasis on Islamic militant organizations.
The Foundation plays a role in the fight against terror through cohesive and comprehensive efforts to research, analyze, and disseminate information pertaining to past and current terrorist activities. The Foundation shares its findings with law enforcement agencies and the intelligence community where appropriate, and works with other research organizations to educate the public on the threat of terrorism. NEFA, by funding extensive field research, is able to obtain original documents as well as develop an on-the-ground understanding of events.
The NEFA team is comprised of experienced investigators, researchers, analysts, and partners in the U.S. and abroad who have access to a worldwide network of sources and information. The multi-lingual team has decades of experience in investigating terrorism and terrorist financing, global communications, and cyber-terrorism.
Our investigators are filling a critically important role in gathering useful, current information, invaluable in the fight against terror. We can follow the data wherever it leads, access sources, software, and data systems that enhance the value of the information and share our findings with anyone who can help in the fight. Our staff include:
