Jury Verdict Against Islamic Charity Officials Overturned

A federal judge in Boston last Tuesday overturned a jury's tax conspiracy verdict handed down in January against officers of a former Islamic charity. In the case, the government had charged that three defendants withheld information about Care International's support of jihad and mujaheddin in various countries when they applied for 501(c)(3) tax exempt status for Care International. (See prior posting.) According to the International Herald Tribune, U.S. District Court Judge Dennis Saylor IV concluded that prosecutors failed to prove that the group's leader, Samir Al-Monla, had conspired with Emadeddin Muntasser to lie to the IRS. The court however let stand Muntasser's conviction on charges of lying to federal officials and Muhammed Mubayyid's false statements and false tax return convictions. A written opinion will be filed to support the judge's oral ruling.