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Palestinian-American from ‘Holy Land Five’ Released After Serving Two Decades in US Prison

Mufid Abdulqader, one of the “Holy Land Five,” was released from prison on December 14, 2023, after serving 20 years for his involvement in the Holy Land Foundation case, a controversial legal proceeding that many argue exemplified the disproportionate targeting of Muslim Americans post-9/11. Abdulqader will now transition to a halfway house for one year.

The Holy Land Foundation (HLF), once the largest Muslim charity in the U.S., was accused in 2004 of providing material support to Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization. The foundation raised funds for humanitarian aid in Palestinian territories, distributing resources through Zakat committees. Prosecutors alleged these committees were controlled by Hamas, although none were on any terrorist lists, and USAID had worked with the same organizations.

After an initial trial ended in a hung jury in 2007, a retrial in 2008 convicted the Holy Land Five. Abdulqader received a 20-year sentence; Shukri Abu Baker and Ghassan el-Ashi were sentenced to 65 years each, while Mohammed el-Mezain and Abdulrahman Odeh were given 15 years. Critics, including the Charities and Security Network, argued that the case set a dangerous precedent, making it nearly impossible for charities to operate in war zones without fear of being accused of terrorism.

Abdulqader’s release has been celebrated by Palestinian advocacy groups like Within Our Lifetime, who continue to demand freedom for Baker and el-Ashi, who remain imprisoned. Previous releases of other Holy Land Five members include Odeh in 2021 and el-Mezain in 2022, who was deported to Turkey.

Civil liberties groups maintain that the Holy Land Foundation case reflects how the “War on Terror” disproportionately targeted Muslims. Despite the government’s allegations, there was no evidence that the HLF directly funded Hamas. This case is seen as a landmark example of the erosion of rights for Muslim Americans under expansive counterterrorism laws.

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