I received a letter from Dr. Dhafir just before he left Jamesville Prison. He was extremely distressed that the government would give away Help The Needy money to other charities. He gave me a list of 20 people and asked me to write to them. The letter is below and I would encourage others to write to Judge Mordue.

I contacted Scott Porter the HTN lawyer. He was unable to remember exact details because the file is so big and it was so long ago, but he said: “Attempts were made consistent with what Dr.Dhafir is telling you to disperse the monies.”

Dear

I am writing to you because I just received a letter from Dr. Rafil A. Dhafir. Your name was listed with 19 other people that he asked me to contact. The letter was written for “urgent attention” but unfortunately there was a delay of 20 days (due to a mix-up) in my receiving it. I would ask you to do whatever you can as soon as you possibly can.

Rafil saw the news item in the Syracuse Post-Standard saying the government was going to distribute $240,000 of Help the Needy money to “other charities.” He is extremely distressed at the fact that the government will give HTN money away to charities that will use the money for administrative costs and causes other than the Iraqi needy. He states these facts:

1. The amount confiscated exceeds $300,000, closer to $370,000. What happened to the rest?
2. This money was collected to help the Iraqi needy, no one else. Giving it to other organizations is against the will of the donors and HTN.
3. None of the monies collected were to go for administrative expenses. All of it is to get to the needy. By giving it to other NGOs most of it will be eaten up by salaries. This should not be allowed to happen.
4. The Board of Trustees of HTN, its lawyer or any one else were not contacted or consulted regarding this. HTN was dissolved without due process through notification of the Board of Trustees, or its lawyer.
5. HTN’s lawyer Scott Porter offered a deal whereby HTN’s assets (all of it) go to buy wheelchairs (the vendor offered two for one price) for handicapped Iraqis. The prosecution blocked this because HTN would not take a guilty plea. Verification can be obtained from Mr. Porter.

Rafil states that the government should not be allowed to deprive the Iraqi needy of what was given to them. Please help the money go where it should go by writing to:

Judge Norman A. Mordue
James Hanley Federal Building
100 South Clinton Street
Syracuse, New York 13261-7198.

Please also write to Rafil letting him know he is not forgotten:
Rafil A. Dhafir
Fairton FCI
PO Box 420,
Fairton, NJ 08320

Write your return address on the envelope and on the letter, otherwise he may not know whom the letter is from.

Sincerely,
s/ Katherine Hughes