-
US Justice System Pursues Syrian Suspect for Diverting Humanitarian Aid to "Al-Nusra"
-
The case indicates the continued ability of terrorist organizations to infiltrate humanitarian institutions and exploit their resources to fund illegal activities
The US District Court announced charges against Syrian citizen Mahmoud Al-Hafian (53 years old) in 12 criminal cases related to illegally diverting more than $9 million in US humanitarian aid to armed groups, including the terrorist-designated Al-Nusra Front.
The indictment highlighted the involvement of Al-Hafian, known as "Abu Abdo Al-Homsi," who served as regional office director for a non-governmental organization in Syria with 160 employees, in organized fraud operations.
Court documents showed that the organization received $122 million from the US Agency for International Development between January 2015 and November 2018, where the accused collaborated with other partners to divert food aid to Al-Nusra leaders.
Investigations revealed that Al-Hafian sold the aid on the black market to terrorist organization leaders for his personal benefit, while falsifying beneficiary records and inflating the numbers of food rations distributed in the villages of Al-Buwaiti, Luf, Mazraat Al-Shawk, and Al-Salamin.
The US Attorney General emphasized the dual nature of the accused's crime, affirming the commitment to hold him accountable "regardless of how many years it takes."
Levant-Agencies
