STATEMENT OF ATTORNEY GENERAL JOHN ASHCROFT
ON THE GUILTY PLEA OF ENAAM ARNAOUT:

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- "Enaam Arnaout operated the Benevolence International Foundation, Inc. (BIF) as a scheme to use fraudulently the charitable contributions of Muslim-Americans, U.S. corporations, and other donors to support violence overseas. With today's plea agreement the government has secured the cooperation of Arnaout in its critical investigation into the funding of violent acts overseas. The guilty plea also makes clear we will prosecute and imprison those who would exploit the generosity of charitable donors to provide financing for violence overseas. We will shut down terrorist funding sources. We will ensure that terrorist sympathizers who fund violence or terrorism meet swift, certain justice.

"Arnaout defrauded donors by using their money to fund Jihad fighters in Chechnya and Bosnia. He provided fighters with anti-mine boots, uniforms, tents and even an ambulance. All of these were purchased with funds that donors thought were going for peaceful purposes.

"While Mr. Arnaout has not admitted to supporting al Qaeda in this plea agreement, the government stands strongly behind those allegations. We are prepared to prove that he did support al Qaeda when that issue is addressed at sentencing.

"I commend the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois for securing today's guilty plea and cooperation agreement, and for vindicating the interests of honest humanitarian donors."

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