Trying for the second time, after the first trial was thrown out on a mistrial, U.S. federal prosecutors finally got the convictions they sought for five leaders of an American Muslim charity.

The Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, based in a suburb of Dallas, is accused of funneling money to Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, an organization designated as a terrorist group by the U.S. State Department.

Although federal prosecutors recognized that the charity did to a lot of humanitarian work, they stated that it also direct some funding for Hamas. The charge is denied by the five now-convicted defendants, all of whom intend to appeal the decision.

Richard B. Roper, the U.S. attorney who prosecuted the case, issued the following statement: “Money is the lifeblood of terrorism. The jury’s decision demonstrates that U.S. citizens will not tolerate those who provide financial support to terrorist organizations.”

The Holy Land Foundation was shut down in December 2001 and all its assets seized in what President Bush then called “another step in the war on terrorism.”

The accusation was not the direct financing of terrorism, but, simply, the funding for Hamas. Since it is a terrorist group as defined by the U.S. government, any donation to Hamas for any purpose, including humanitarian, is illegal.

The defendants could get 15 years on each count of funding a terrorist group and an additional 20 years on each count of money laundering.

Noor Elashi, a 23-year-old writer who is the daughter of one of the defendants stated that she was “heartbroken” about the decision and called it nothing more than fear-mongering prosecution.

“I am utterly shocked at this outcome. This is a truly low point for the United States of America. My dad is a law-abiding citizen who was persecuted for his humanitarian work in Palestine and his political beliefs,” Ms. Elashi said. “Today I did not shed a single tear. My dad’s smile was radiant. That’s because he saved lives, and now he’s paying the price,” she stated. Adding that supporters would not rest until the verdict was overturned in appeal.

The website freedomtogive.com, started by the defendants’ relatives and friends, states that the foundation “simply provided food, clothes, shelter, medical supplies and education to the suffering people in Palestine and other countries.”

This case is interesting. One, they gave money to a foreign terrorist group (if one were to accept the government’s case) that if not even threatening the U.S. Would they have gone after them if they were supporting a Cuban terrorist group aligned against Castro or the IRA? No, I can assure you. The IRA holds fundraisers in Boston and Cuban terrorist leaders often seek asylum in the U.S. The only reason these men are being prosecuted is because they supported a group (whether just for humanitarian need, terrorism or both is unclear) that is opposed to Israel.