Today Monday September 15, 2008 the Re-Trial of the Holy Land Foundation (HLF) begins.

What is this Case About?

This case is about criminalizing feeding the children, orphans, and widows.

The government is accusing 5 brothers of supporting a terrorist organization “Hamas”. They claim that through feeding the children of Palestine HLF also indirectly supported Hamas.

Why is this case important?

Not only did the government shut down the Holy land Foundation in 2001, they also indicted 5 brothers in 2004 as part of a conspiracy to provide material support to organizations linked to Hamas (not direct support). These organizations are called Zakat Committees in Palestine. The Zakat committees operated legally under Israeli law. Also, the committees were supported by USAID (A US government agency) and the United Nations. So I ask, ‘why was the HLF singled out’?

A lawyer for Holy Land, John Boyd, said, ”The local Palestinian charities that the foundation supported were also getting funds from the American Government, the United Nations, the Red Cross, and others. I won’t even speculate now as to why under these circumstances Holy Land Foundation should have to struggle with this idea that somehow by engaging in charitable efforts in Palestine … that the Holy Land Foundation is now having to fend off a theory that somehow charity equals terrorism,”.

In addition the US Government filed a brief to the court listing 306 Muslim individuals and Muslim organizations as Un-indicted Co-Conspirators (UCC) as part of the HLF Case. They made the list public.

The list includes America’s Largest Mainstream Muslim Organizations:

* Holy Land Foundation Relief & Development (HLF) – charity

* Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) – advocacy group

* Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) — educational group

* North American Islamic Trust (NAIT) — trust fund for deeds to mosques
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* This case is about Guilt by Association

* This case is about Freedom of Speech

* This case is about Freedom of Religion and in particular Zakat. (Charity / Almsgiving)

* This case is about every Muslim in America and every person who supports the constitution and the Bill of Rights in America.

More information: www.freedomtogive.com
www.hungryforjustice.org