Mosque Founder Denies Terrorism Link
A top fund-raiser for an Islamic charity with alleged links to terrorism testified Monday he believed the donations were used only for humanitarian projects, and asked to be freed while he fights deportation. Abdel-Jabbar Hamdan, 44, a founder of a mosque in Anaheim, was arrested on immigration charges last month as federal authorities unsealed an indictment against the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, charging the Texas-based charity funneled millions to the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Hamdan's detention has sparked protests by Southern California Muslims who see it as an unfair pressure tactic to get him to reveal information about Holy Land. Hamdan, born in a Palestinian refugee camp in the West Bank, acknowledges traveling around the country as a Holy Land fund-raiser. He insists, however, he has no information to support allegations the group aided Hamas, which the United States has labeled a terrorist organization. [more
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