Georgia Imam Sentenced for Aiding Hamas
Charles Johnson
Tue Feb 27, 2007 at 11:49 am PST • Views: 272
The imam of a Georgia mosque has been sentenced to seven years in prison for funneling money to Hamas; he might have gotten 15 years, but his sentence was reduced because he’s been informing on his former partners in terror. (Hat tip: SoCalJustice.)
Mohamed Shorbagi, 42, could have faced up to 15 years in prison.
U.S. District Judge Harold Murphy in Rome sentenced him to seven years and eight months because of what federal prosecutors said was “extraordinary” cooperation from Shorbagi testifying for the government in other terrorism-related trials. “He provided information on issues that today could affect national security,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Dammers.
Shorbagi pleaded guilty in August to providing material support to the militant group Hamas in a case in which the agreement, charges and even the plea hearing were handled in secret. The case was unsealed in October.
“Mr. Shorbagi … funneled money over a four year period to Hamas,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Dammers. “I don’t discount that Mr. Shorbagi wanted to help the people of Palestine, but he went about it in the wrong way.” [What?! —ed.]
Defense attorney Michael Trost countered, “This is not … a bomb-throwing individual, a danger to society.”
But Dammers said that “without the monetary support, without the logistics support, the bomb throwers would be less able to carry out their acts.”
Frank says: