FBI: Cigarette-Smugglers Funded Terrorism

July 22 -- An Islamic militant group is denying any involvement in a scheme that the FBI says raised money for terrorism activities worldwide through cigarette trafficking in the United States.

Federal authorities arrested 17 people Friday during afternoon raids in homes and businesses in Charlotte, N.C., who they say are part of the Middle East guerrilla group Hezbollah. Another person was arrested in Michigan.

The suspects were charged with immigration violations, weapons offenses, money laundering and cigarette trafficking, said U.S. Attorney Mark Calloway in Charlotte.

Eleven of those arrested remained jailed today. The otherswere released on bond after court hearings on Friday.

MohamadYoussef Hammoud, one of those arrested in the raids, was identified asthe group’s ringleader by sources working with a state-federal taskforce that investigated the group, according to an affidavit.

A source told agents that Hammoud was well-connected with Hezbollahmembers in Lebanon and is believed to have receivedHezbollah-sponsored military training.

The source “believes that if Hezbollah issued an authorizationto execute a terrorist act in the United States, Mohamad Hammoudwould not hesitate in carrying it out,” the affidavit read.

But in a statement released today, Hezbollah denied anyinvolvement with the people charged in Charlotte.

It was unclear whether Hammoud or any of his co-defendants hadan attorney who could comment on the case.

Quiet Neighbors

No one answered the door Friday evening at Hammoud’s gray-bluehouse in Charlotte, where evidence of the morning’s raid was apparent: dents in the front door and damaged aluminum louvers in a front window.

Those who lived nearby said they knew little about its occupants,but did notice periodic gatherings and what appeared to be aconstantly changing set of residents.

“Other than all the meetings, where there’d be 15, 20 carsparked in front of the house, and the fact that there was arevolving door, they didn’t bother anybody,” said Paul Booher, wholives two houses down.