US TO RELEASE HEZBOLLAH FINANCIER

Sat 20 June 2020:

The US will release convicted Hezbollah financier Kassim Tajideen three years into his five-year sentence due to his poor health and risks of COVID-19 infection from prison, according to court documents.

On May 28 Washington Federal District Court Judge Reggie Walton granted Tajideen’s emergency request for compassionate release, which said his age and “serious health conditions” leave him particularly vulnerable as the coronavirus spread through the US prison system.

Tajideen, 64, could be back in Lebanon within weeks.

According to a June 11 court filing by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he was released from the federal prison in Cumberland, Maryland after a two-week coronavirus quarantine and moved to a county detention centre while awaiting departure.  

“At this time, a charter flight to Lebanon has been scheduled for July 2020 and Mr Tajideen is on the manifest,” ICE said in a court filing.

Tajideen’s release comes after the March release of a Lebanese-American man who was arrested upon arrival in Lebanon last year.

Amer Fakhoury had worked with an Israeli-backed militia in southern Lebanon until 2000, before fleeing.

“This has to do with the Fakhoury release. You did something nice for us, and we will do something nice for you,” the source said, referring to the Lebanese government’s decision to allow Fakhoury to be airlifted out of the country.

Asked about ramifications of the release on US-Iran tensions, the source said it had nothing to do with this.

“Iranians will not exchange any prisoner for someone that is not Iranian. Tajideen’s release has nothing to do with Iran.”

Tajideen is expected to be released before the end of June. Following the US judge’s decision on May 27, prosecutors were given one month to appeal. This one-month period will expire on June 27 and the source said, prosecutors will not appeal the decision.

The statement from Tajideen’s family said the US judge agreed to release the Lebanese businessman “because of the risks of [coronavirus] on his life should he remain in prison.”

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