A former congressman and delegate to the United Nations was indicted Wednesday as part of a terrorist fundraising ring that allegedly sent more than $130,000 to an al-Qaida and Taliban supporter who has threatened U.S. and international troops in Afghanistan.
The former Republican congressman from Michigan, Mark Deli Siljander, was charged with money laundering, conspiracy and obstructing justice for allegedly lying about lobbying senators on behalf of an Islamic charity that authorities said was secretly sending funds to terrorists.
Siljander served in the 1980s and has been a lobbyist ever since. In fact, the lobbying is related to the terrorism charges. Imagine that.
Throw the book at him.
Update: Lots of people have been photographed with Yasser Arafat. Siljander is one of them. He’s all about the “reconciliation” and building of bridges.
Update (AP): Curiouser and curiouser. Debbie Schlussel says not only does she know Siljander, she used to work for him. And he was a very devout Christian at the time.
Update: Siljander was an evangelical, but his views evolved over time into a more syncretic understanding. Read the article. As a fellow evangelical, I see the same tendency to paper over real religious differences in our churches every day, and that tendency is coming from honestly curious people like Siljander as well as from denominational leaders who are more interested in playing numbers games than sticking up for truth.
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