Enaam Arnaout
Encyclopedia
Enaam M. Arnaout is a Syrian
-American
who pleaded guilty to using charitable
donations to support fighters in Bosnia
without apprising the donors of this, during his tenure as a director of the charity Benevolence International Foundation
(which is now banned worldwide by the United Nations
).
, and was photographed alongside Osama bin Laden
and quoted in the Arab News
as saying the Soviet forces had destroyed the trees that the Mujahideen had hoped to use for fortifications.
Prior to 1996, Abu Ubaidah al-Banshiri
, Mohammed Atef
and Yaseen al-Iraqi aided Arnaout in purchasing AK-47
s and mortar rounds from a Pashtun tribesman named Hajjji Ayoub, and they were subsequently delivered in large trucks to the Jawr and Jihad Wahl training camp
s.
Arnaout entered into a plea agreement on February 10, 2003, in which he pled guilty to a single count of racketeering.
In that agreement, the prosecution acknowledged that neither Arnaout nor BIF had acted contrary to the interests of the United States
, or had any ties to Osama bin Laden
or Al Qaeda. Arnaout's statement of guilt acknowledges subverting on the order of $300,000 to $400,000 of charitable funds (out of a total of about $20,000,000) to buy boots, uniforms, tents, and an ambulance for Bosnian
fighters, without the knowledge of the charitable donors. Judge Conlon sentenced Arnaout to 136 months in prison.
Both Arnaout and the government appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
. On December 2, 2005, the Seventh Circuit reversed the sentence and remanded the case to Judge Conlon for resentencing. In February 2006, Judge Conlon resentenced Arnaout to 120 months (10 years) in prison.
Syrian people
The Syrian people are the inhabitants and citizens of Syria. Syrians are tied together by geography, linguistic heritage, religion, and similar Eastern Mediterranean ethnicities...
-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
who pleaded guilty to using charitable
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
donations to support fighters in Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
without apprising the donors of this, during his tenure as a director of the charity Benevolence International Foundation
Benevolence International Foundation
The Benevolence International Foundation was a purported nonprofit charitable trust based in Saudi Arabia. It was a front for al-Qaeda and is now banned worldwide by the United Nations Security Council Committee 1267...
(which is now banned worldwide by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
).
Life
Arnaout was raised in Hamat, Syria. In 1988, Arnaout participated in the Battle of JajiBattle of Jaji
The Battle of Jaji occurred in May 1987, during the first stage of withdrawal of Soviet forces from their invasion of Afghanistan. Remaining Soviet troops supported the Soviet-backed government's operations in Paktia Province against the Mujahideen, hoping to relieve a besieged garrison at Ali...
, and was photographed alongside Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
and quoted in the Arab News
Arab News
Arab News is an English-language daily newspaper published in Saudi Arabia, in the cities of Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam. The Editor-in-Chief is Khaled Al-Maeena. The publisher of Arab News is Saudi Research & Publishing Company , a subsidiary of Saudi Research & Marketing Group .Arab News was...
as saying the Soviet forces had destroyed the trees that the Mujahideen had hoped to use for fortifications.
Prior to 1996, Abu Ubaidah al-Banshiri
Abu Ubaidah al-Banshiri
Abu Ubaidah al-Banshiri was the nom de guerre of Ali Amin al-Rashidi , one of the "most capable and popular leaders" of al-Qaeda....
, Mohammed Atef
Mohammed Atef
Mohammed Atef was the alleged military chief of al-Qaida, although his role in the organization was not well known by intelligence agencies for years...
and Yaseen al-Iraqi aided Arnaout in purchasing AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
s and mortar rounds from a Pashtun tribesman named Hajjji Ayoub, and they were subsequently delivered in large trucks to the Jawr and Jihad Wahl training camp
Jihad Wahl training camp
The Jihad Wahl training camp was an alleged al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan.Prior to 1996, Abu Ubaidah al-Banshiri, Mohammed Atef and Yaseen al-Iraqi aided Enaam Arnaout in purchasing AK-47s and mortar rounds from a Pashtun tribesman named Hajjji Ayoub, and they were subsequently delivered in...
s.
Trial
During a sentencing hearing in August 2003, U.S. District Judge Suzanne Conlon told prosecutors they had “failed to connect the dots” and said there was no evidence that Arnaout “identified with or supported” terrorism.Arnaout entered into a plea agreement on February 10, 2003, in which he pled guilty to a single count of racketeering.
In that agreement, the prosecution acknowledged that neither Arnaout nor BIF had acted contrary to the interests of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, or had any ties to Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
or Al Qaeda. Arnaout's statement of guilt acknowledges subverting on the order of $300,000 to $400,000 of charitable funds (out of a total of about $20,000,000) to buy boots, uniforms, tents, and an ambulance for Bosnian
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
fighters, without the knowledge of the charitable donors. Judge Conlon sentenced Arnaout to 136 months in prison.
Both Arnaout and the government appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the courts in the following districts:* Central District of Illinois* Northern District of Illinois...
. On December 2, 2005, the Seventh Circuit reversed the sentence and remanded the case to Judge Conlon for resentencing. In February 2006, Judge Conlon resentenced Arnaout to 120 months (10 years) in prison.
Further reading
- Original April 2002 indictment of Arnaout, at the United States Department of JusticeUnited States Department of JusticeThe United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...