|
Advocacy Blog
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Court Upholds Asset Freeze on Islamic Charity
Yesterday the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit upheld the Treasury Department's decision to freeze the assets of the Islamic American Relief Agency-USA (IARA), in Columbia, Missouri. In 2004 Treasury Department designated IARA as a supporter of terrorism, freezing all accounts, funds and assets of IARA in the United States. The Islamic charity was designated for ties to an affiliate of a Sudanese charity, Islamic African Relief Agency that was accused of financing al-Qaeda. The decision upheld the ruling that the group is a branch of the Sudanese agency; however IARA argued that the two groups have different leaders and bank accounts.
In 2004, federal agents raided the group's headquarters in Columbia, Mo., as part of a criminal investigation. No criminal charges have been filed against the charity or its employees. While the court found the unclassified evidence was "not overwhelming," the three-judge panel noted that its review of national security cases is "extremely deferential" to the government.
The Associated Press story can be read here along with the court's opinion.
Posted by Amanda Adams
|