Ex-Lawmaker Indicted in Islamic Charity Inquiry
WASHINGTON — A former Republican congressman from Michigan was indicted Wednesday on federal charges of money laundering and obstruction of justice. The allegations involve his work as a lobbyist for an Islamic charity accused of illegally funneling about $130,000 to an Afghan warlord considered a terrorist by the United States government.
The former congressman, Mark D. Siljander, who was defeated for re-election in 1986 after three terms in the House, was accused by a federal grand jury in Kansas City of accepting $50,000 in stolen government aid money as his lobbying fee from the now-defunct charity group, the Islamic American Relief Agency.
The charity — which was based in Columbia, Mo., and closed in 2004 — and several of its former leaders were already under indictment on charges of illegally transferring money to Iraq and stealing government money.
Hmm, I guess it’s okay to talk about indictments of guys who haven’t been in Congress since 1986. At this rate, in another 20 years or so it might be okay for the NYTimes (and other US media) to talk about/pursue Sibel Edmonds’ allegations of nuclear treason, bribes, blackmail, etc.
Tags: Afghanistan, Al Qaeda, indictment, Iraq, Mark D. Siljander, Mark Siljander, money laundering, news, obstruction of justice, Pakistan, Sibel Edmonds, terrorist
