How American Charities Fund Terrorism

National Review ^ | 01/12/2017 | Sam Westrop

[SeekAndFind]

As the president-elect has repeatedly made clear, his first full day in office will be a busy one. He has promised to effect a wide array of changes. But what about his second day? If he has some free time, we have some suggestions.

As the threat from international terror groups and homegrown radicalization increases, clamping down on domestic Islamist networks should be a priority. In particular: terror financing.

Under the Obama administration, the federal government appeared to ease up on prosecutions of American Islamist charities linked to terror. This was a marked change from the years after 9/11, when scores of charities were shut down after prosecutors found financial and logistical links to terrorist groups across the globe. This effort culminated in 2008, when the Holy Land Foundation was tried in court on charges of financing terrorism. Federal prosecutors listed a considerable number of prominent American Muslim organizations as “unindicted co-conspirators.”

Eight years of a more permissive attitude has afforded Islamist groups the chance for a resurgence. Islamist charities do not just provide a means to move money; they also offer legitimacy to American Islamist organizations struggling to free themselves from decades of allegations of extremism. Islamist charitable endeavors abroad serves to sanitize the Islamist agenda at home.

The most common terrorism link for American Islamist charities involves, unsurprisingly, the Palestinian territories. Where do charitable donations for the Palestinian territories end up? In the Gaza Strip, Hamas, which is designated a foreign terrorist organization, oversees every facet of society, especially the social services in which Western charities work. From the distribution of medicine to the running of schools, orphanages, and kids’ summer camps, Hamas rules the roost.

One example worth investigating is the Gaza-based Unlimited Friends Association for Social Development (UFA).

[A_Former_Democrat]

I hope one of President Trumps acts will be to authorize the IRS to audit charities and nonprofits. Let’s see the compliance with the law, the charters, the numbers, and the recipients.

Start with SPLC and its racist agenda

[The_Media_never_lie]

SPLC is a hate group.

[Oldexpat]

We need to limit Saudi and Muslim brotherhood funding of mosques and Islamic organizations in the US that promote Salafist and Wahabi sects.

[Yaelle]

I’m shocked by all the Islamic centers popping up in weird places. There must be a lot of Muslim money coming in. These places were not here 5 years ago. Maybe this is part of Obama’s legacy. He kept telling us how this was a Muslim country.

[A_Former_Democrat]

Indeed. These organizations needs thorough, line-by-line examinations and strict compliance

Else they should lose their exemptions and existence with the accompanying publicity

#FakeCharities

[bgill]

The biggest scam, uh, charity, hmm, terrorist fund or whatever is the US government.

[pfflier]

Check out some of the organized church track records on that while you're at it, particularly Catholic, Episcopalian and Methodist churches.

You may be in for quite a surprise.