On January 16, 2008, Mark Siljander, a former Republican US Congressman from Michigan and US representative to the UN, was indicted for conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering, obstruction of justice and forfeiture. The charges stemmed from Siljander's association with the now defunct charity Islamic American Relief Agency (IARA), which allegedly funneled funds to key Taliban and al-Qaeda ally Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. IARA was the American affiliate of the Islamic African Relief Agency, an organization based in Khartoum, Sudan and designated by the US Treasury Department as a supporter of global terrorism in October 2004. Siljander later pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice charges.



Learn more about Mark Siljander from the The Washington Times.