Mohammad El Halabi had been in custody for six years on charges of funneling $50 million of relief funds to Hamas.
By JNS.org
The Beersheba District Court found Mohammad El Halabi, a Palestinian aid worker, guilty of supporting a terror organization, though he was acquitted of treason.
Halabi had been in custody for six years on charges of funneling $50 million of relief funds to Hamas to pay fighters, buy weapons and other activities. He is scheduled to be sentenced in July.
“We’re going to support Mohammad through whatever appeal process he has left in front of him because we believe, based on what we’ve seen in the court and investigations, that he is innocent of the charges,” Sharon Marshall, senior director of public engagement for World Vision, a Christian NGO, told Reuters.
“World Vision acknowledges with disappointment the decision issued by the Beersheba District Court convicting Mr. Mohammad El Halabi,” said Marshall.
Halabi was the head of Gaza operations for the NGO. He had denied the charges and refused plea bargain offers.