NEWARK, N.J. (AP) _ Oct. 18, 2004 — Justice Department officials rejected a request by Muslim groups who wanted a list of preapproved Islamic charities. Muslims are required during the month of Ramandan to make contributions. But some are worried their donations could lead them to be suspected of helping fund terrorism.
A coalition of Muslim groups held a news conference outside the federal building in Newark today.
Justice Department spokesman Bryan Sierra says the department is not in a position to put out lists, particularly of any organizations that are good or bad.
Since December 2001, four major Islamic charities in the U-S with suspected ties to terrorists have been raided or shut down.
TV Calls Air Force for Help
CORVALLIS, OR-October 18, 2004 — It's the case of the TV that was calling for help.
An Air Force search and rescue alert was trigged by Chris van Rossman's flatscreen Toshiba TV. It has a built-in VCR, DVD and CD player. And an undocumented feature that has authorities scratching their heads.
Some sort of electric glitch was causing van Rossman's TV to transmit on the international distress frequency. The signal was picked up by a satellite and relayed to the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center in Virginia.
Van Rossman had no idea until airmen, deputies and Corvallis, Oregon, police were knocking on the door of his apartment. The errant signal was traced to his TV set.
Van Rossman was warned to keep the TV off or face a $10,000 fine for sending a false distress signal.
A spokeswoman for Toshiba says they've never heard of this sort of problem before. But the company is promising to give van Rossman a new TV.