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Advocacy Blog
Friday, September 07, 2007
Uncertain Charitable Giving for Many Muslim and Arab-Americans
Two representatives of the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes met with Detroit area Muslim and Arab-Americans to discuss charitable giving in preparation for Ramadan, a Muslim holy month beginning next week. During Ramadan donations to charity are typically at their highest because of a religious requirement, zakat, a practice of giving to good causes. The meeting was organized by the U.S. Attorney's Office and Muslim leaders to address questions and concerns. During the last year FBI and other federal agencies have raided three Detroit-area Muslim charities, Life for Relief and Development, Al-Mabarrat Charitable Organization and Goodwill Charitable Organization Inc. Nobody from any of the charities has been charged with a crime, and only the Goodwill Charitable Organization has been shut down and designated. "Audience members unsuccessfully sought absolute assurances they could not be prosecuted for giving to a charity that is legal today but could be deemed a terrorist front tomorrow."
Frustrated attendees also wondered how they could help suffering friends and relatives in Gaza or southern Lebanon without working through agencies that must deal with Hamas or Hezbollah, both designated terrorist organizations by the U.S. government. Linda Mansour of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee said most donors are average citizens who want their money to go for food and medicine but now fear prosecution. Michael Rosen, a policy adviser with the Treasury Department, said the government wants to establish a safe and approved means of providing humanitarian aid but has not done so yet. Until then, "donors do have to do their due diligence," he said.
Posted by Amanda Adams
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