The four men passed money through a charity called Help the Needy -- based in Syracuse, New York -- laundered the cash through banks in Jordan, and then sent it into Iraq, according to a 14-count federal indictment unsealed on February 26.

Since 1995, the charity allegedly sent at least four million dollars to Iraq, the paper said.

The four men charged were Iraqi-born oncologist Rafil Dhafir and Jordanians Osameh Al Wahaidy, Ayman Jarwan, and Maher Zagha.

Among the accusations are that they misrepresented the charity in donor appeals, had no license to send aid to Iraq and had ties to groups accused of supporting al Qaeda, the paper said.

Prosecutors have not been able to track all the money sent to Baghdad, and Dhafir, Al Wahaidy and Jarwan have pleaded innocent. Zagha has been in Jordan and has not been arrested.

"It's ludicrous to consider my client involved in anything other than humanitarian efforts," said Jim McGraw, attorney for Jarwan, the charity's executive director. "At most, it's a technical violation in not applying for a license."

A fifth man, Saudi-born Sami Omar Al-Hussayen, was arrested in the western US state of Idaho on February 26 and charged with visa fraud and making false statements, the paper said.

He was accused of running websites for Help the Needy, and also for the Islamic Assembly of North America, which has published statements from Osama bin Laden's allies calling for suicide attacks against the United States, the paper said.

SPACE.WIRE