Posted on 02/20/2004 8:17:32 AM PST by chance33_98
Feds block assets of Saudi charity in Southern Oregon
(Washington-AP) -- The Treasury Department is moving to block assets of an Ashland, Oregon foundation accused of diverting money to help bankroll al-Quaida.
The Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation is the U.S. branch of a large Saudi charity.
According to Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, the financial assets "are blocked pending investigation" under the 2001 U-S-A Patriot Act.
Working with the Saudis, the United States has previously moved to freeze the assets of six foreign branches of Al-Haramain including those in Indonesia, Pakistan and Somalia.
Al-Haramain has denied any link to terrorist activities and said it was only involved in charity work for the poor.
At its height, Saudi-based Al-Haramain raised up to $50-million a year in charitable contributions worldwide.
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