While some nonprofit organizations have received strong financial support from Jewish donors and other people with personal ties to the region, many aid groups say they have yet to see much of a response, in part because the political dimensions of the crisis have overshadowed the humanitarian needs.

A federal judge on Thursday ordered the release of a top fundraiser for an Islamic charity who has been held for two years because the government says he has ties to terrorism, his attorney said Thursday.

Abdel-Jabbar Hamdan was ordered released without bond from the Terminal Island federal detention facility, according to his attorney, Ranjana Natarajan of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California.

LOS ANGELES -- A federal judge on Thursday ordered the release of a top fundraiser for an Islamic charity who has been held for two years because the government says he has ties to terrorism, his attorney said Thursday.

Abdel-Jabbar Hamdan was ordered released without bond from the Terminal Island federal detention facility, according to his attorney, Ranjana Natarajan of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has proposed changes to the eligibility requirements, the public accountability standards, and to other parts of the current Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) regulations found at Part 950 of title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The proposed changes are intended to streamline the eligibility requirements, the public accountability standards, and other administrative requirements to reduce the burden on charitable organizations seeking to qualify for the CFC. The proposed changes also are intended to simplify the administrative process for determining whether charitable organizations are eligible to participate in the CFC and to facilitate modernization of the CFC program.

The proposed regulations can be found at online.

The rulemaking does not impact advocacy rights - but it does affirmatively retain the Sanctions Compliance Certification (5 CFR 950.605), which requires that each applicant must complete a "certification that is in compliance with all statutes, Exec Orders, and regulations restricting or prohibiting U.S. persons from engaging in transactions and dealings with countries, entities or individuals subject to economic sanctions administered by" OFAC.

Posted by Jennifer Lowe, 01:23:36 PM