5 Brothers Charged With Aiding Hamas Judith Miller and Eric Lichtblau New York Times December 19, 2002 Federal officials intensified their pursuit of terrorist financing today with the arrests of four brothers in Dallas who investigators said used their computer business to funnel money to a leader of the Islamic militant group Hamas. The four brothers, including one who led an Islamic charity in Texas that the authorities say was a front group for terrorist financing, also illegally shipped computer goods to Libya and Syria despite their official designations as state sponsors of terrorism, prosecutors said. Officials filed charges against a fifth brother, the brothers' company and a Hamas leader overseas and his wife. The charges were part of a flurry of activity by federal officials, who have vowed to shut down the money pipeline between American financiers and global terrorists... Arab-American leaders said the arrests and warrants would fuel the perception among Islamic residents that legitimate charities and businesses were being singled out for harassment by law enforcement officials. Tamir Ayad, executive director of the Dallas-Fort Worth chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said of the brothers who were arrested: "These are very well-known, well-liked, well-respected, generous people. I think these charges are a terrible mistake, and we're really just hoping they get their fair day in court to prove their innocence..."