was located across the street from Elashi’s computer company, Infocom
Corporation. HLF stored many of its records and documents at Infocom, which
were later seized by the FBI.
      The defendants raised money through HLF by conducting nationwide
fundraising events, conferences, and seminars where HLF sponsored speakers
and solicited donations. Some of the events featured songs, performances, and
skits glorifying Hamas.    Defendant Abdulqader was part of a band that
performed at many of these events. He also traveled around the country on
HLF’s behalf to speak and raise funds. HLF also conducted teleconferences
where participants could listen to featured speakers and donate money. Prior


                         of the United States with the intent to willfully contribute funds,
goods, and services to Hamas.1
      During the period from the late 1980s to the early 1990s when HLF was
raising funds for the Palestinian cause, and prior to Hamas’s designation as a
terrorist organization, there were ongoing peace talks between Israel and the
Palestinians, of which the defendants took notice. In September 1993, Yasser
Arafat, the leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization (“PLO”), and Israeli
Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin signed what became known as the Oslo Accords.
These accords established mutual recognition between the Israeli government
and the Palestinians. They also created a limited governing body for
Palestinians, known as the Palestinian Authority (“PA”). As a political rival of
Arafat and his Fatah political party, Hamas opposed the Oslo Accords.
  