Mufid Abdel-Qader, a half-brother of prominent Hamas figure Khaled Mashal, has been released from a U.S. prison after serving 16 years of a 20-year sentence. His release includes a year-long transition in a rehabilitation facility. This comes at a time when officials in the U.S. and Israel suggest that the likelihood of reaching a hostage deal is on the rise.
Khaled Mashal, who once led Hamas’ political bureau, remains one of the few senior leaders of the organization still alive. It remains uncertain if Abdel-Qader’s release is connected to a broader agreement involving a potential hostage arrangement.
In 2008, Mufid Abdel-Qader and several others were convicted of participating in activities linked to the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, once the largest Muslim charity in the United States. This organization was found to have been a conduit for funding Hamas.
During the trial, Abdel-Qader stated that his role in the foundation was as a financial supporter and as the lead singer in a Palestinian musical group that raised funds. “I never imagined that I would be put behind bars because I wanted to help get people out of prison, out of poverty and out of hunger,” he said during his hearing. However, the presiding judge emphasized that his conviction was not about free speech but about providing material support to Hamas.
The Holy Land Foundation’s senior members were convicted on 108 charges, including supporting a terrorist group, money laundering, and tax violations. Prosecutors had earlier struggled to secure a conviction, as a previous jury was not persuaded that the organization funneled over $12 million to Hamas. Although the foundation’s activists were not accused of direct involvement in acts of violence, their convictions included funding Hamas-linked schools and welfare initiatives.
A key piece of evidence during the trial was the testimony of a Shin Bet operative. This testimony, which provided critical details about the accused’s activities, played a significant role in the court’s decision to convict the defendants.
{Matzav.com}
