Replies

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Inmates in the Gaza Strip’s main prison can now reduce their sentences by one year if they memorize five chapters from the Koran, Islam’s holy book, the prison’s governor announced Monday.

The prison, controlled by the militant Hamas movement since the group’s violent takeover of the Gaza Strip in June, holds 350 prisoners, 30 of whom are on death row.”

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/hp531.htm

August 7, 2007
HP-531

Treasury Designates Al-Salah Society
Key Support Node for Hamas

The U.S. Department of the Treasury today designated the Al-Salah Society, one of the largest and best-funded Hamas charitable organizations in the Palestinian territories. Al-Salah Society’s director, Ahmad Al-Kurd, was also designated today.

“Hamas has used the Al-Salah Society, as it has many other charitable fronts, to finance its terrorist agenda,” said Adam Szubin, Director of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). “Today’s action alerts the world to the true nature of Al-Salah and cuts it off from the U.S. financial system.”

The Al-Salah Society supported Hamas-affiliated combatants during the first Intifada and recruited and indoctrinated youth to support Hamas’s activities. It also financed commercial stores, kindergartens, and the purchase of land for Hamas. One of the most senior Gaza-based Hamas leaders and founders, Ismail Abu Shanab, openly identified the Al-Salah Society as “one of the three Islamic charities that form Hamas’ welfare arm.” The Al-Salah Society has received substantial funding from Persian Gulf countries, including at least hundreds of thousands of dollars from Kuwaiti donors.

The Al-Salah Society is directed by Ahmad Al-Kurd, a recognized high-ranking Hamas leader in Gaza. Al-Kurd’s affiliation with Hamas goes back over a decade. During the first Intifada, Al-Kurd served as a Hamas Shura Council member in Gaza. As of late 2003, Al-Kurd was allegedly the top Hamas leader in Deir Al-Balah, Gaza. Since mid-2005, he has served as the mayor of Deir Al-Balah, elected as a Hamas candidate.

The Al-Salah Society has employed a number of Hamas military wing members. In late 2002, an official of the Al-Salah Society in Gaza was the principal leader of a Hamas military wing structure in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp in Gaza. The founder and former director of the Al-Salah Society’s Al-Maghazi branch reportedly also operated as a member of the Hamas military wing structure in Al-Maghazi, participated in weapons deals, and served as a liaison to the rest of the Hamas structure in Al-Maghazi. At least four other Hamas military wing members in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp in Gaza were tied to the Al-Salah Society.

The Al-Salah Society was included on a list of suspected Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad-affiliated NGOs whose accounts were frozen by the Palestinian Authority as of late August 2003. After freezing the bank accounts, PA officials confirmed that the Al-Salah Society was a front for Hamas.

Identifying Information

Al-Salah Society
AKAs:
Al-Salah Association
Al-Salah Islamic Foundation
Al-Salah
Al-Salah Islamic Society
Al-Salah Islamic Association
Al-Salah Islamic Committee
Al-Salah Organization
Islamic Salah Foundation
Islamic Salah Society
Islamic Salvation Society
Islamic Righteous Society
Islamic Al-Salah Society
Jamiat Al-Salah Society
Jamiat al-Salah al-Islamiya
Jami’at al-Salah al-Islami
Jami’a al-Salah
Jammeat El-Salah
Salah Islamic Association
Salah Welfare Organization
Salah Charitable Association

Addresses:
PO Box 6035, Beshara Street, Deir al-Balah, Gaza
Deir Al-Balah Camp, Gaza
Athalatheeniy Street, Gaza
Gaza City, Gaza
Bureij, Gaza
Al-Maghazi, Gaza
Rafah, Gaza

AHMAD HARB AL-KURD
AKAs:
Ahmed El-Kurd
Ahmed Al Kurd
Ahmed Hard Al-Kurd
Ahmad Al-Kird
Ahmad Al-Kard
DOB: circa 1949
ALT. DOB: circa 1951
POB: Deir Al-Balah, Gaza
Address: Deir Al-Balah, Gaza

- 30 -