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U.S. closing Oregon Islamic charity it calls terror link
The Oregonian ^ | Friday, September 10, 2004 | LES ZAITZ

Posted on 09/17/2004 11:19:54 AM PDT by MarMema

The Treasury Department says Al Haramain Islamic Foundation Inc. of Ashland has connections to al-Qaida

The Treasury Department said it is shutting down an Oregon Islamic charity that has "direct links" to al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and has supported Chechen mujahedeen with ties to al-Qaida.

Federal officials on Thursday wouldn't disclose details about the links contained in the classified information they used to designate Al Haramain Islamic Foundation Inc. of Ashland as a global terrorist organization.

"The strongest links are financial," Assistant Treasury Secretary Juan Zarate told The Oregonian. He said the Oregon operation was part of a Saudi charity that "was used in a variety of ways to funnel money to the greater al-Qaida network. There are certainly connections with respect to the Oregon branch which are problematic."

The charity adamantly denied any links to bin Laden.

Treasury officials also designated the group's treasurer, Soliman H. Al-Buthe of Saudi Arabia, a terrorism supporter. The group's former president, Aqeel Abdul Aziz Al-Aqeel, was named a terrorism supporter in June.

"The people of Oregon shouldn't be surprised," said Jim Wilkinson, deputy national security adviser in the White House. "Many of our efforts in the war on terror have been with foreign governments. We also have to take a hard look at terrorist financing activity right here at home."

Federal officials have used such designations since shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to shut down other Islamic charities and to identify supporters of terrorism. Treasury officials told Congress last month that they were being more restrained in taking such actions to avoid "designations that have little or no practical effect in interdicting terrorist funding."

Federal officials said Thursday's designation was significant for closing off part of a global network that has funded terrorists. They said it also reflected closer relationships forged with Saudi Arabia, which has been providing greater intelligence information to U.S. authorities since terrorist attacks there last year.

The Ashland operation was founded in 1997 as the U.S. branch of a global Islamic charity based in Riyadh with a similar name -- Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation. Saudi officials earlier this year said they were shutting down the foundation in that country because of ties to terrorism.

Thursday's announcement keeps in place a freeze imposed in February on assets of the Oregon entity, including a prayer house in Ashland, a mosque in Missouri, and all its bank accounts. U.S. citizens and companies now are prohibited from doing business with the Oregon entity.

"We are permanently shutting down a financial node that has been used for extremely suspect purposes," Zarate said.

Al Haramain's founder, Pete Seda, an Iranian immigrant also known as Abu Yunus, was not designated a terrorist supporter. Seda, an arborist by profession, left Oregon for the Middle East last year, where he remains.

Seda's Portland attorney, Larry Matasar, said he was happy Seda wasn't designated and "I expect that his many supporters in Ashland also are pleased."

Treasury officials said their investigation of Al Haramain and Seda continues.

Seda established the Oregon chapter with Al-Aqeel, Al-Buthe, and a third Saudi, Mansour Al-Kadi. Until recently, Al-Aqeel ran the Saudi headquarters of Al-Haramain. Al-Aqeel and Al-Kadi resigned from the Oregon organization in early 2003, and Al-Aqeel late that year issued an affidavit saying the Saudi charity renounced any control over the Oregon chapter's assets. He also said the Saudi charity was severing its connections to the Oregon branch, according to the Dec. 31, 2003, affidavit.

Chicago attorney Mary Rowland, representing the Oregon charity before Treasury officials, said Al Haramain opposed the designation. She said the charity was provided an unclassified file by Treasury officials that included newspaper clippings and court transcripts. Rowland said there was nothing in the material "which would warrant the designation."

In a statement, Treasury officials said their investigation "shows direct links between the U.S. branch and Osama bin Laden."

They also said donations to the Ashland charity for Chechen refugees were "diverted to support mujahedeen, as well as Chechen leaders affiliated with the al-Qaida network."

A federal affidavit from earlier this year said Al Haramain records showed $150,000 donated by an Egyptian doctor was routed through the charity and then illegally diverted back out of the country for Chechnya. A federal criminal investigation into tax fraud is ongoing.

Rowland said, however, that the charity gave Treasury officials documents "indicating that all the money that was sent over for the Chechen refugees actually was administered and went through the Russian authorities."

The federal affidavit said that Al-Buthe traveled to Ashland in 2000 and, with Seda, turned the $150,000 donation into 130 traveler's checks and one cashier's check that were then taken to Saudi Arabia. The affidavit said the foundation disguised the transaction in its tax records by indicating it was used to buy the Missouri mosque property.

The Saudi charity, which once had branches in 50 countries and an annual budget of as much as $50 million, has been under investigation by U.S. authorities since 1996. The Treasury Department has designated 11 overseas branches as terrorist supporters since 2002.

Besides the Oregon branch, Treasury officials designated a branch in Comoros they say participated in the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in East Africa.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; US: Oregon
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1 posted on 09/17/2004 11:19:54 AM PDT by MarMema
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To: Destro; Grampa Dave; dennisw

ping


2 posted on 09/17/2004 11:20:34 AM PDT by MarMema
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To: struwwelpeter

Well at least they are doing this. This is very recent!


3 posted on 09/17/2004 11:21:24 AM PDT by MarMema
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To: MarMema

Follow the money, then dry it up.


4 posted on 09/17/2004 11:26:35 AM PDT by b4its2late (John John Kerry Edwards change positions more often than a Nevada prostitute!!!)
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To: MarMema; Grampa Dave

Islamofascist terrorist supporters in Ashland ~ who woulda thunk it. :):):)

Hang 'em High!

Be Ever Vigilant!


5 posted on 09/17/2004 11:28:14 AM PDT by blackie (Be Well~Be Armed~Be Safe~Molon Labe!)
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To: MarMema; Salvation

This deserves a big Oregon Ping List ping.

Newberger


6 posted on 09/17/2004 11:28:24 AM PDT by newberger
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To: MarMema

Does Brandon Mayfield have any Ashland connections?


7 posted on 09/17/2004 11:32:14 AM PDT by macrahanish #1
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To: MarMema

All the donor names found on these charities' lists should be subject to immediate tax audits.


8 posted on 09/17/2004 11:35:27 AM PDT by struwwelpeter
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To: MarMema; Grampa Dave

The location (Ashland) is very interesting, no?


9 posted on 09/17/2004 11:39:38 AM PDT by B Knotts ("John Kerry, who says he doesn't like outsourcing, wants to outsource our national security.")
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To: MarMema

So who is more dangerous? The Al-Queda or the "moderate, peace-loving" moslems who support them?


10 posted on 09/17/2004 11:41:18 AM PDT by nightdriver
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To: B Knotts

The left loves the islamic radical movement. I just cannot understand how they don't see the danger.


11 posted on 09/17/2004 11:42:16 AM PDT by MarMema
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To: nuconvert

Thanks for posting your thread, which led to my finding and posting this one.


12 posted on 09/17/2004 11:43:01 AM PDT by MarMema
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To: struwwelpeter
All the donor names found on these charities' lists should be subject to immediate tax audits.

I hope they are delving deeply into this one, including the attorneys.

13 posted on 09/17/2004 11:43:56 AM PDT by MarMema
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To: Old Sarge; JohnathanRGalt; All

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Treasury officials also designated the group's treasurer, Soliman H. Al-Buthe of Saudi Arabia, a terrorism supporter. The group's former president, Aqeel Abdul Aziz Al-Aqeel, was named a terrorism supporter in June."



GOOGLE
http://www.google.com


GOOGLE Search Term: "AL HARAMAIN"
ttp://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22Al+Haramain%22&btnG=Google+Search

GOOGLE Search Term: "Al Haramain Islamic Foundation Inc. of Ashland"
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22Al+Haramain+Islamic+Foundation+Inc.+of+Ashland%22&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&filter=0

GOOGLE Search Term: "Soliman H. Al-Buthe"
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22Soliman+H.+Al-Buthe%22&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&filter=0

GOOGLE Search Term: "Aqeel Abdul Aziz Al-Aqeel"
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22Aqeel+Abdul+Aziz+Al-Aqeel%22&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&filter=0


14 posted on 09/17/2004 11:46:00 AM PDT by Cindy
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To: MarMema

It's because Ashland-style leftism is a mental disorder.


15 posted on 09/17/2004 11:47:32 AM PDT by B Knotts ("John Kerry, who says he doesn't like outsourcing, wants to outsource our national security.")
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To: MarMema

Chechen related?

A nod to Putin?


16 posted on 09/17/2004 11:52:33 AM PDT by DannyTN
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To: DannyTN
I don't know, it occurred to me also.

And Putin did just say there was western support for them, though he was quick to praise Bush.

17 posted on 09/17/2004 11:58:01 AM PDT by MarMema
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To: Cindy

Thanks for these! I will be making use of them as soon as I return from piano lessons.....


18 posted on 09/17/2004 11:58:53 AM PDT by MarMema
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To: MarMema

You're quite welcome


19 posted on 09/17/2004 11:59:46 AM PDT by nuconvert (Everyone has a photographic memory. Some don't have film.)
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To: dixiechick2000

PING


20 posted on 09/17/2004 12:00:26 PM PDT by WKB (3! ~ Psa. 12 8 The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.")
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