Man sentenced for transferring money to bin Laden bounty hunter

[struggle4progress]

Associated Press


OAKLAND, Calif. - The owner of a Hayward pizza parlor was sentenced to four months of home detention and a $5,000 fine Friday, after pleading guilty to illegally transferring money to a bounty hunter on a rogue mission to kill Osama bin Ladin.

Between 2002 and 2003, Noor Alocozy, 41, transferred $1 million, some of which reached Jonathan "Jack" Idema, a jailed American mercenary accused of running his own private interrogation camp in Afghanistan, according to the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

Idema, a former Green Beret who claimed to be working on a counterterrorism mission with the American government, was a client of Alocozy's money-transfer business, Noor Money Transfer, which operated out of his Liberty Pizza restaurant, said agency spokeswoman Virginia Kice.

Idema is now jailed in an Afghan prison after being convicted last September of charges that included running a private torture camp. <snip>

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/12489017.htm

Here's a little story that probably deserves some digging ...

[icymist]

1. There's a whole lot of info about Idema at 'Flogging The Simian'

It's a really good blog that has all of 'Jacks' adventures archived. Good light reading.

[mitchum]

2. I read a very good article about that posturing grifter Idema...

in Esquire a few months back. What a piece of work. A ridiculous cross between PT Barnum and your typical Rambo wannabee

[icymist]

3. Worse! Apearently someone in the Pentagon knew about Idema.

Allowed this guy to parade around like a US soldier, round people up in Afghanistan, and torture them. From 'Flogging The Simian' story on Jack Idema, Part 8:

Idema named a Pentagon official who allegedly "applauded our efforts" and wanted to place the group under contract - a proposal they refused for fear it would limit their freedom of operation.

"The American authorities absolutely condoned what we did, they absolutely supported what we did," he told reporters crowding round the dock. "We have extensive evidence of that."
I want you to read that segment again very carefully, because everyone from Reuters to Australian news media covered it in nearly those exact same words - Idema named a Pentagon official who allegedly applauded his efforts and wanted to put his team under contract.

But who is the fucking official? You're in luck, because I know exactly who it is. So do all of the journalists who were there, and I'm deeply suspicious that they would not print her name.

Her name is Heather Anderson. We'll get to who she is in a minute, but it's important to know she is the acting Director of Security for Stephen Cambone.

I don't want to link to a blog in the LBN so you all will have to look it up yourself.

[Ian David]

7. I think you can link to blog in LBN so long as it's not the original post

The idea is that the original post in the LBN is to an accredited source.

If you want to, please supply a link to your story?

Thanks!

[mike_c]

4. WTF?! Four months home detention and a small fine...

...for channeling up to a million dollars to mercenaries, terrorists, and Amerikan death squads, including Jack Idema's little BTK operation in Kabul? Try getting caught supporting Hamas or al-Qaida to that tune and see whether you EVER get out of jail again, and that's only if you survive rendition to someplace like Uzbekistan's dungeons! This is an outrageous example of the RW double standard-- we're either going to punish providing material support for terrorism and assassination or we're not. Martha Stewart got in more trouble than this guy!

[Richard Steele]

5. I share your outrage. This is no punishment at all.

I also agree with Struggle4Progress that this story
could use some more "digging",
because it makes NO sense on its face.

I suspect he was expecting a bit more of a return
on his million-dollar investment than Osama's head;
I also suspect that we will never get the whole truth.

[Ian David]

6. What the hell is wrong with what he did???

They offered a reward for Osama's capture, didn't they?

If they're willing to pay money for his capture, then shouldn't people be allowed to invest in an effort to capture him?

Something is seriously wrong here.

Bush does not want Osama captured for several reasons.

1) It will embarrass our "ally," Pakistan, who's probably keeping him in a nice, comfy palace.

2) Osama would talk too much about his business dealings with Cheney, Halliburton, and the BFEE.

3) Bush needs his bogeyman.

4) If Osama is captured, then what is Bush's excuse when the terrorism still doesn't stop?

And I am sure that Idema's "Private Prison" camp was fully sanctioned and paid for by The U.S. Government.