U.S. should consider revenue potential after prosecuting terror cases

In December, 2001, the Holy Land Foundation was ranked the largest Muslim charitable organization in the U.S.[Photo FBI news release](Dallas, Tex.)—The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced in a news release on Tuesday that the agency’s fight against terrorism funding paid a big dividend when five former leaders of a U.S.-based Muslim charity were convicted of funneling more than $12 million to the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. Guilty verdicts on all 108 counts against the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development were announced in federal court in Dallas. The release also says the FBI first got involved in the Holy Land case nearly 15 years ago. In 1994, the agency began looking into the organization’s financial ties to Hamas. During the investigation, agents traveled the globe to conduct more than 100 interviews, to sort through hundreds of boxes of documents (including many Arabic documents), to view hundreds of video and audio tapes in Arabic, and to review thousands of pages of bank records. Now it's time to show us the money. Are we sending Hamas a bill?

The investigation and prosecution are successful and $12 million is the minimum the Holy Land foundation funneled to Hamas in order to wreak terror and havoc.

Has the U.S. government considered putting a price tag on successful prosecutions such as this? Are the assets of these organizations seized? Do we assess a fine against organizations such as the Taliban for what they cost this country by harboring a terrorist determined to injure the U.S. and her citizens?

Fighting terrorism by “choking off” the funding source as the release notes is a good approach. But charging those who harbor terrorists who cost the U.S. money and lives is another part of that equation.

I’ve long held the opinion that the U.S. gives far too freely to countries hoping to do us harm. Our involvement in the United Nations, a virtual money pit,  is a perfect example of that. Our leaders should develop sources of revenue outside our normal taxation system. We should see to it that those who seek to do us harm pay dearly, that they pay for prosecutions and they pay for damages.

Besides that, we should see to it that all types of criminals pay, not just with prison sentences but in fines. Criminal justice and national security place a heavy burden on the taxpayer. It’s time to recoup our losses and see to it that crime can pay, as long as the funds go to the U.S. government.