U.S. Court of Appeals upholds searches of Islamic groups in Virginia

A federal appeals court affirmed a lower court's ruling that dismissed a lawsuit against FBI agents who conducted raids on certain Muslim businesses and homes in Herndon, Virginia in 2002. This is an important ruling in that these raids helped expose some of the Islamist networks in America.  These networks largely thrived under the Clinton administration although I do give him credit for declaring Hamas a terrorist organization in 1995. 

Above: Al-Arian movie poster on Islamonline

Two of the Muslims that were charged were well-educated and prominent Muslims in our country.  One Muslim, Sami Al-Arian (pictured left),  pled guilty in aiding a terrorist organization but has refused to testify in the Herndon case.  He is credited with helping form the Islamic Society of North America on Islamonline, which is chaired by martrydom/terror-supporter Yusef Qaradawi.

The other, Abdurahman Alamoudi (pictured right) had worked his way up to the highest  levels in our government.  He is now serving a 23 year prison term for his terrorist activities.  U.S. intelligence had him on their radar since 1994 but did not charge him until 2002.

CAIR and the Muslim American Society, are American Islamic organizations that grew out of the Muslim Brotherhood/Hamas infrastructure in America.  They have stood with Al-Arian and Alamoudi. 

From the article:

"...The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit said the March 2002 raids on homes and business in Herndon and elsewhere in Northern Virginia were "a harrowing experience" for the targets but did not violate their constitutional rights. The court said agents exercised "lawful force" in drawing their guns and handcuffing a family whose home was searched.

Federal agents carted away hundreds of boxes of documents during the searches from some of the most established Islamic organizations in the United States. They were looking for evidence of an international network to finance terrorism, part of what federal officials have called the nation's largest terrorism-financing investigation.

Muslim leaders denounced the raids as violations of their civil rights and have strongly denied terrorist ties. A Herndon family sued federal agents involved in the raids, asserting that the agents had fabricated evidence to obtain a search warrant, falsely imprisoned family members by restraining them in their home and violated their civil rights.

The raids have led to several indictments and the conviction of prominent Muslim activist Abdurahman Alamoudi, who admitted that he plotted with Libya to assassinate the ruler of Saudi Arabia.No charges have been filed against the Herndon-based cluster of companies and charities that are at the center of the investigation, and their attorneys and some Muslims have long labeled the raids a fishing expedition.

Sami al-Arian, a former Florida professor who earlier pleaded guilty to aiding a terror organization, is now charged with refusing to testify before a federal grand jury in the Herndon probe. A federal judge has not ruled on a defense motion to dismiss those charges..."

The Washington Post

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Also see:

04/27/09:  Muslim American Society ... MAS Freedom Calls on DOJ to Dismiss Al-Arian Charges & Bids .... MAS Freedom Joins Muslim Delegation Visiting Dr. Sami Al-Arian at Va. ...

ABDURAHMAN ALAMOUDI SENTENCED TO JAIL
IN TERRORISM FINANCING CASE

#06-221: 04-20-06 Sami Al-Arian Pleads Guilty To Conspiracy To ... 

#06-260: 05-01-06 Sami Al-Arian Sentenced To 57 Months In Prison ...