20. United States of America v. Ali Abdul-Karim Farhat, Affidavit of Karen Pertuso.
21. Associated Press, “Michigan Brothers Charged.”
22. Robert E. Pierre and Allan Lengel, “Detroit FBI Chief Cleared in Drug Ring Leak Probe,” Washington Post, February 6, 2004.
23. Associated Press, “Brothers Suspected of Hezbollah Ties Freed on Bond in Drug Case,” February 4, 2004.
24. US Department of Justice, United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan, “Final Defendant Sentenced in 17-Member Complex Fraud Scheme.”
25. Author interview with federal officials, Detroit, MI, May 10, 2010.
26. United States of America v. Elias Mohamad Akhdar et al., Indictment, United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, January 23, 2003; Jim Irwin, “Cigarette Smugglers Fed Money to Hezbollah, Feds Say,” Associated Press, February 5, 2003.
27. United States of America v. Elias Mohamad Akhdar et al., Indictment; David Shepardson, “Dearborn Resident Pleads Guilty to Terror Charges,” Detroit News, September 19, 2003.
28. United States of America v. Elias Mohamad Akhdar et al., Indictment.
29. Ibid.; United States of America v. Elias Mohamad Akhdar, Government’s Written Proffer.
30. PoliceOne Critical Alert, “Terrorism-Related Arrests in Va., Mich; One Officer Shot,” Policeone.com, February 5, 2003.
31. Stewart Bell, “Canadian Accused of Smuggling Cigarettes to Fund Lebanese Terrorism,” National Post (Canada), February 5, 2003.
32. Irwin, “Cigarette Smugglers Fed Money.”
33. Bell, “Canadian Accused of Smuggling.”
34. United States of America v. Elias Mohamad Akhdar, Government’s Written Proffer; United States of America v. Elias Mohamad Akhdar et al., Indictment.
35. “Hizbullah Denies Connection with Three Lebanese Indicted in U.S.,” Daily Star (Lebanon), February 17, 2003.
36. United States of America v. Hassan Moussa Makki, Government’s Written Proffer in Support of Its Request for Detention Pending Trial, Criminal No. 03-80079, United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, April 4, 2003; United States of America v. Elias Mohamad Akhdar et al., Indictment.
37. Shepardson, “Dearborn Resident Pleads Guilty.”
38. United States of America v. Hassan Moussa Makki, Government’s Written Proffer in Support of Its Request for Detention Pending Trial, Criminal No. 03-80079, United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, April 4, 2003; United States of America v. Elias Mohamad Akhdar et al., Indictment.
39. United States of America v. Imad Mohamad-Musbah Hammoud et al., Opinion and Order Denying Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss Indictment, Criminal No. 03-80406, United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, May 16, 2008.
40. United States of America v. Imad Mohamad-Musbah Hammoud et al., Indictment, Criminal No. 03-80406, United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, April 4, 2004.
41. Ibid.
42. United States of America v. Imad Mohamad-Musbah Hammoud et al., Opinion and Order.
43. Author telephone interview with former FBI official, September 25, 2009.
44. United States of America v. Imad Mohamad-Musbah Hammoud et al., Indictment; author telephone interview with former FBI official, September 25, 2009; see also United States of America v. Tarek Makki, Plea Agreement, Criminal No. 03-80617, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, October 5, 2005.
45. United States of America v. Tarek Makki, Plea Agreement; United States of America v. Tarek Makki, Defendants’ Sentencing Memorandum, Criminal No. 03-80617, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, March 10, 2006.
46. Author telephone interview with former FBI official, September 25, 2009; author interview with federal officials, Detroit, MI, May 10, 2010.
47. Author interview with federal officials, Detroit, MI, May 10, 2010.
48. Michael Isikoff, “Nasrallah’s Men inside America,” Daily Beast, August 13, 2006.
49. Jaime Holguin, “Bogus Viagra Business Booms,” CBS News, February 11, 2009.
50. United States Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA History in Depth: 1999–2003,“Operation Mountain Express I, II, and III (2000–2002)” (accessed May 14, 2012).
51. Greg Krikorian, “Terrorists Received Drug Money, U.S. Says,” Los Angeles Times, May 10, 2002.
52. Associated Press, “Drug Money For Hezbollah?” CBS News, February 11, 2009.
53. United States of America v. Imad Mohamad-Musbah Hammoud et al., Indictment; author telephone interview with former FBI official, September 25, 2009.
54. United States of America v. Imad Mohamad-Musbah Hammoud et al., Indictment; author telephone interview with former FBI official, September 25, 2009; author interview with federal officials, Detroit, MI, May 10, 2010.
55. Author interview with federal officials, Detroit, MI, May 10, 2010.
56. United States of America v. Imad Mohamad-Musbah Hammoud et al., Indictment.
57. Author email interview with former FBI official, April 29, 2010.
58. United States of America v. Imad Mohamad-Musbah Hammoud et al., Indictment.
59. Roi Kais, “Hezbollah Funding Terror with Fake Medicine,” YnetNews, September 10, 2012.
60. United States of America v. Imad Mohamad-Musbah Hammoud et al., Indictment.
61. National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States, 9/11 Commission Report, released July 22, 2004, pp. 240–41; United States of America v. Mahmoud Youssef Kourani, Indictment, Criminal No. 03-81030, United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, November 19, 2003.
62. US CIA, “Expanding Links between Alien Smugglers and Extremists.”
63. United States of America v. Mahmoud Youssef Kourani, First Superseding Indictment, March 1, 2005; Pauline Arrillaga and Olga R. Rodriguez, “The Terror-Immigration Connection,” MSNBC, July 3, 2005; Associated Press, “Hizballah Fundraiser Sentenced to Prison,” Los Angeles Times, June 15, 2005.
64. United States of America v. Sealed Matter, Affidavit of FBI Agent Timothy T. Waters, Misc. No. 03-x-71722, United States District Court Eastern District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, April 15, 2004.
65. United States of America v. Mahmoud Youssef Kourani, Government’s Written Proffer in Support of Detention Pending Trial, Criminal No. 03-81030, United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, January 20, 2004.
66. United States of America v. Mahmoud Youssef Kourani, Indictment.
67. United States of America v. Sealed Matter, Affidavit of Timothy T. Waters.
68. United States of America v. Mahmoud Youssef Kourani, Indictment.
69. United States of America v. Mahmoud Youssef Kourani, Government’s Written Proffer.
70. United States of America v. Mahmoud Youssef Kourani, Indictment; United States of America v. Sealed Matter, Affidavit of Timothy T. Waters.
71. United States of America v. Mahmoud Youssef Kourani, Indictment.
72. United States of America v. Sealed Matter, Affidavit of Timothy T. Waters.
73. United States of America v. Mahmoud Youssef Kourani, Government’s Written Proffer.
74. United States of America v. Sealed Matter, Affidavit of Timothy T. Waters.
75. David Shepardson, “Feds: Man Hid Terror Cash,” Detroit News, January 16, 2004.
76. United States of America v. Mahmoud Youssef Kourani, Government’s Written Proffer.
77. Author interview with federal officials, Detroit, MI, May 10, 2010.
78. United States of America v. Sealed Matter, Judgment, Criminal No. 03CR81030-1, United States District Court Eastern District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, June 20, 2005.
79. United States of America v. Mahmoud Youssef Kourani, Government’s Written Proffer.
80. Ibid.
81.
United States of America v. Sealed Matter, Affidavit of Timothy T. Waters.
82. Author interview with federal officials, Detroit, MI, May 10, 2010.
83. Associated Press, “Terror-Linked Migrants Channeled into U.S.,” Fox News, July 3, 2005.
84. “Myrick Calls for Taskforce to Investigate Presence of Hezbollah on the US Southern Border,” letter from US Congresswoman Sue Myrick to Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, June 23, 2010.
85. Ibid.
86. Tucson Police Department, Tucson Urban Area Security Initiative, “International Terrorism Situational Awareness: Hezbollah,” September 20, 2010.
87. “Border Security 2010: Year in Review, Open Source Reporting,” Arizona Division of Emergency Management.
88. United States of America v. Jamal Yousef, Sealed Indictment, S3 08 Cr. 1213, United States District Court, Southern District of New York, July 6, 2009.
89. Jack Koury, “Mexico Thwarts Hezbollah Bid to Set up South American Network,” Haaretz (Tel Aviv), July 6, 2010.
90. United States of America v. Riad Skaff, Government’s Sentencing Memorandum, No. 07CR0041, United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, May 27, 2008.
91. United States of America v. Riad Skaff, Government’s Sentencing Memorandum; United States of America v. Riad Skaff, Affidavit of ICE Special Agent Matthew Dublin, January 29, 2007.
92. United States of America v. Riad Skaff, Affidavit of Colonel Kevin M. McDonnell, April 24, 2008.
93. United States of America v. Yehia Ali Ahmed Alomari et al., Case No. 07M4009, United States District Court, Western District of New York, February 24, 2007, Affidavit of ICE Special Agent James K. Crawford.
94. Ibid.
95. Associated Press, “3 Yemeni Business Men Who Sent $200,000 Overseas Plead Guilty in NY Court to Money Laundering,” August 28, 2009.
96. United States of America v. Talal Khalil Chahine et al., Indictment, No. 5:06-cr-20248, United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, May 19, 2006; United States of America v. Elfat El Aouar, Government’s Sentencing Memorandum, Criminal No. 06-20248, United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, May 11, 2007.
97. United States of America v. Elfat El Aouar, Government’s Written Proffer in Support of Detention Pending Trial, May 19, 2006.
98. Niraj Warikoo, “La Shish Chain Owner Denies Ties to Terror,” Detroit Free Press, May 19, 2006.
99. “Alleged Hezbollah Front Raided in Michigan,” Anti-Defamation League, July 30, 2007.
100. Wes Bruer, “Ohio Couple Plead Guilty to Supporting Hezbollah,” Long War Journal, May 24, 2011.
101. United States of America v. Hor I. Akl and Amera A. Akl, Indictment, Case No. 3:10-CR-251, United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio, Western Division, June 7, 2010.
102. United States of America v. Hor I. Akl, Plea Agreement, May 23, 2011; United States of America v. Amera A. Akl, Plea Agreement, May 23, 2011.
103. United States of America v. Mufid Kamal Mrad, Affidavit in Support of a Criminal Complaint and Arrest Warrant, United States District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, Case No. 1:12mj363, May 30, 2012.
104. United States of America v. Lebanese Canadian Bank SAL et al., Verified Complaint, United States District Court, Southern District of New York, 11 CIV 9186, December 15, 2011.
105. Ibid.
106. US Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs, “Dallas Area Used Car Dealers Indicted in Money Laundering Scheme,” press release, November 17, 2011.
107. United States of America v. Hassan Hodroj et al., Affidavit of FBI Supervisory Special Agent Samuel Smemo Jr., United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, November 20, 2009.
108. David Asher, “Party of Fraud: Hizballah’s Criminal Enterprises,” Policy Forum Presentation, Washington Institute for Near East Policy (Washington, DC), March 22, 2012.
109. US Department of the Treasury, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, “Finding That the Lebanese Canadian Bank SAL Is a Financial Institution of Primary Money Laundering Concern,” Federal Register 76, no. 33 (February 17, 2011).
110. United States of America v. Ayman Joumaa, Indictment, Criminal No. 1:11-CR-560, United States District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, November 23, 2011.
111. Jo Becker, “Beirut Bank Seen as a Hub of Hezbollah’s Financing,” New York Times, December 13, 2011.
112. Avi Jorisch, “Al-Manar: Hizbullah TV, 24/7,” Middle East Quarterly 11, no. 1 (Winter 2004): 17–31.
113. Ibid., 17.
114. BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, “Hezbollah Leader Nasrallah Supports Intifada, Vows ‘Death to America,’” September 27, 2002.
115. Jorisch interview with Lebanese Hezbollah expert, October 11, 2002, in Avi Jorisch, Beacon of Hatred: Inside Hezbollah’s al-Manar Television (Washington, DC: Washington Institute for Near East Policy, 2004), 32.
116. Nicholas Blanford, “Hizbullah Sharpens Its Weapons in Propaganda War,” Christian Science Monitor, December 28, 2001.
117. “Hizbollah Inaugurates Satellite Channel via ArabSat,” al-Ra’y (Amman), May 29, 2000, BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, May 31, 2000; Robert Fisk, “Television News Is Secret Weapon of the Intifada,” Independent (London), December 2, 2000.
118. Jorisch, Beacon of Hatred, 20.
119. Fisk, “Television News.”
120. United States of America v. Mohamad Youssef Hammoud and Chawki Youssef Hammoud, trial transcript, Docket No. 3:00-cr-147, United States District Court, Western District of North Carolina, Charlotte Division, June 10, 2002, pp. 1487–88.
121. Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Israel Intelligence Heritage & Commemoration Center, “Exposure of a Hezbollah Network in Egypt,” April 28, 2009; Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Israel Intelligence Heritage & Commemoration Center, “Egypt Exposes a Hezbollah Network on Its Soil,” April 13, 2009.
122. Jorisch, Beacon of Hatred, 21.
123. Jeffrey Goldberg, “In the Party of God: Are Terrorists in Lebanon Preparing for a Larger War?” The New Yorker, October 14, 2002.
124. “France Pulls Plug on Arab Network,” BBC News, December 14, 2004.
125. “International Approaches to the Regulation of Al-Manar Television and Terrorism-Related Content,” Australian Communications and Media Authority (Sydney: Commonwealth of Australia, 2011), 9–10.
126. US Congress, House, Committee on International Relations, Statement of James Phillips, Adding Hezbollah to the EU Terrorist List.
127. Statement of Frank C. Urbancic, Hezbollah’s Global Reach; US Department of State, “Addition of Al-Manar to the Terrorist Exclusion List,” press release, December 28, 2004.
128. US Department of the Treasury, “U.S. Designates Al-Manar as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Entity; Television Station Is Arm of Hezbollah Terrorist Network,” press release, March 23, 2006.
129. US Department of Justice, US Attorney Southern District of New York, “U.S. Arrests Two for Supporting Hizballah,” press release, November 20, 2006.
130. United States of America v. Javed Iqbal and Saleh Elahwal, Indictment, United States District Court, Southern District of New York, Criminal No. 06-CR-1054, November 2006.
131. US Department of Justice, US Attorney Southern District of New York, “Staten Island Man Sentenced to 69 Months in Prison for Providing Material Support and Resources to Hizballah,” press release, April 23, 2009; US Department of Justice, US Attorney Southern District of New York, “New Jersey Man Sentenced to 17 Months in Prison for Providing Material Support and Resources to Hizballah,” press release, June 23, 2009.
132. John Mintz and Douglas Farah, “Small Scams Probed for Terror Ties: Muslim-Arab Stores Monitored as Part of Post–Sept. 11 Inquiry,” Washington Post, August 12, 2002.
133. US Department of Justice, United States Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, “Ope
ration Bell Bottoms Targets Counterfeiting, Drug Operation in Los Angeles–Area Clothing Stores,” press release, November 6, 2007.
134. Ibid.
135. James Meek, “Busted Los Angeles Drug Ring Had Ties to Hezbollah,” New York Daily News, November 9, 2007.
136. Author telephone interview with law enforcement officer, January 14, 2010.
137. Ibid.
138. Author interviews with suspects, Los Angeles, May 11, 2010; County of Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, Incident Report, “Sale of Counterfeit Trademark Merchandise,” November 11, 2006.
139. Author interviews with suspects, Los Angeles, May 11, 2010; County of Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, Incident Report, “Sale of Counterfeit Trademark,” October 8, 2004.
140. US Congress, Senate, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Statement of John C. Stedman, Counterfeit Goods: Easy Cash for Criminals and Terrorists: Hearing before the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
141. Ibid.
142. United States of America v. Sealed Matter, Affidavit of Timothy T. Waters.
143. Mike Newall, “Road to Terrorism Arrests Began at Deptford Mall,” Philadelphia Inquirer, January 25, 2010.
144. Author interview with law enforcement officials, Philadelphia, PA, March 11, 2010.
145. Ibid.; United States of America v. Sadek Mohamad Koumaiha et al., Indictment, United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, November 23, 2009.
146. Author interview with law enforcement officials, Philadelphia, PA, March 11, 2010; United States of America v. Sadek Mohamad Koumaiha et al., Indictment.
147. Author interview with law enforcement officials, Philadelphia, PA, March 11, 2010; US Department of Justice, “Arrests Made in Case Involving Conspiracy to Procure Weapons, Including Anti-Aircraft Missiles,” press release, November 23, 2009; United States of America v. Dani Nemr Tarraf et al., Indictment, Criminal No. 09-743-01, United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, November 20, 2009.
148. Author interview with law enforcement officials, Philadelphia, PA, March 11, 2010.
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