FBI Informant’s Perilous Work In Florida Taliban Case

An artist rendering of Hafiz Muhammed Sher Ali Khan, May 16, 2011, in federal court in Miami. Hafir Muhammed Sher Ali Khan was convicted Monday March 4, 2013, of funneling thousands of dollars to support the Pakistani Taliban terror organization, which is blamed for suicide bombings and other attacks that have killed both Americans and Pakistanis. Two of Khan's sons, Izhar and Irfan, were cleared of all charges.

PLANTATION, Fla. (AP) — The FBI’s key informant in a South Florida terrorism case says he spent four years helping agents build evidence against a Muslim cleric who was convicted earlier this week of financially supporting the Taliban.

David Mahmood Siddiqui tells The Associated Press in an interview Friday he has no doubt about the guilt of 77-year-old Hafiz Khan. The 58-year-old Siddiqui wore an FBI wire to record thousands of discussions with Khan about his financial support for the Pakistani terror group.

Siddiqui also was sent to Pakistan in 2010 on a dangerous mission to meet some purported Taliban fighters and gather proof. Siddiqui was paid about $126,000 but says he did it for his country.

Khan was convicted Monday of four terrorism-support related charges and awaits sentencing in May. Kahn denied being a Taliban supporter.

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Follow Curt Anderson on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Miamicurt


Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

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