Dr. Rafil A. Dhafir is an American Iraqi-born physician, who was targeted along with many other Muslims post 9/11 in the Bush administration’s “War on Terrorism.”  He started the charity Help the Needy, to respond to the humanitarian crisis created by the Gulf War and US Sanctions on Iraq.  The US government originally charged the charity and Dhafir with violations of the US sanctions.  When he refused a plea bargain, the government falsely charged the charity with fraud, money laundering, tax evasion and a variety of other nonviolent crimes.