US customs officials spent a day this week gathering financial records and charitable contribution files from the offices of Atlanta poultry processor Mar-Jac Poultry, under the suspicion that the firm has ties to terrorist funding.
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Founded in 1948, the company contributes to about 50 charitable organisations in Gainesville and Georgia, including the Salvation Army and Good News Medical. Federal investigators are focused however on the possible links between the firm and the Saar Foundation, a now defunct non-profit organisation established during the 1970s by members of Saudi Arabia’s al- Rajihi family.
The main link appears to be a man called Yaqub M. Mirza. Mirza is listed as an officer of the Saar Foundation, and CEO of Sterling Advisory Services Inc. The Gainesville address for this company is listed at the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office as the same as that for Mar-Jac Poultry.
Mirza is also the registered agent for Herndon-based Mena Investments. The president of Mena Investments is listed in the Virginia Secretary of State’s Office as Jamal Barzinji, who is also president of Mar-Jac Poultry.
A former federal prosecutor in Florida has alleged that the Saar Foundation, or other entities at the same address, have provided funding for groups established by former University of South Florida professor Sami Al Arian, a man linked to the terrorist group Palestinian Islamic Jihad by the Justice Department.
Mar-Jac company officials admitted to shock yesterday [Thursday] when they discovered the meaning of the visit by customs. VP Doug Carnes told the Atlanta Journal and Constitution: “I’m shocked. I’m in disbelief. I’ve worked for them for 17 years.”
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By GlobalDataCarnes added that Mar-Jac cooperated fully with the federal agents during the raid.
The company has issued a statement which says: “Mar-Jac fully understands the importance of the government’s ability to conduct broad and sweeping investigations for leads in the wake of the despicable terrorist attacks on 11 September, even when those investigations seek information from companies, like Mar- Jac, which had nothing whatsoever to do with those attacks.”
