U.S., Saudi to freeze al-Qaeda-linked assets<\/p>\n
Jeannine Aversa, Associated Press, Washington<\/p>\n
The United States and Saudi Arabia are seeking international
\nsupport to choke off funding to four branches of a Saudi charity
\nthat authorities say diverted money to help bankroll al-Qaeda's
\nterrorist activities.<\/p>\n
The branches of the Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation are in
\nIndonesia, Kenya, Tanzania and Pakistan, the U.S. and Saudi
\ngovernments said on Thursday in a joint announcement.<\/p>\n
The U.S. and Saudi Arabia want the United Nations to
\nadd the four branches to its blacklist of suspected terrorist
\nfinanciers, which member countries must honor.<\/p>\n
"These branches have provided financial, material and
\nlogistical support to the al-Qaeda network and other terrorist
\norganizations," the Treasury Department said.<\/p>\n
Al-Haramain has denied any link to terrorist activities and
\nsaid it was only involved in charity work for the poor.<\/p>\n
Officials did not say how much money in charitable
\ncontributions at the four branches may have been diverted to
\nsupport suspected terrorist activities.<\/p>\n
At its height, Saudi-based Al-Haramain raised $40 million to
\n$50 million a year in charitable contributions worldwide, said
\nAdel Al-Jubeir, foreign policy adviser to Saudi Crown Prince
\nAbdullah.<\/p>\n
Also on Thursday, the Bush administration ordered U.S. banks
\nto freeze any assets found in this country that belong to the
\nfour branches. It was not known whether the branches have bank
\naccounts or other assets in the U.S..<\/p>\n
"The four branches of Al-Haramain have cloaked themselves in
\nthe virtue of charity done so only to fund and support terrorist
\norganizations around the world," said Treasury Secretary John
\nSnow.<\/p>\n
With this latest action, the U.S. has acted to freeze
\nthe assets of six branches of the charity. The U.S. and
\nSaudi Arabia have not moved to shut down the charity's main
\noffice in Saudi Arabia, officials said. Investigation continue,
\nthey said.<\/p>\n
The two countries acted on March 11, 2002, to block the funds
\nof the charity's branches in Somalia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
\nAuthorities believe contributions were diverted to support
\nterrorism.<\/p>\n
Last month, the Saudis and the U.S. asked the United
\nNations to add Vazir, a nonprofit organization with headquarters
\nin Travnik, Bosnia, to its list of suspected terrorist
\nfinanciers. U.S. officials said Vazir was picking up where the
\nclosed Bosnia branch of Al-Haramain left off.<\/p>\n
The Saudi government in 2003 ordered Al-Haramain to close all
\nof its overseas branches, according to the Treasury Department.<\/p>\n
"Al-Haramain stated it closed branches in Indonesia, Kenya,
\nTanzania and Pakistan, but continued monitoring by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia indicates that these offices and or
\nformer officials associated with these branches are either
\ncontinuing to operate or have other plans to avoid these
\nmeasures," the department said.<\/p>\n
Some in Congress have raised questions about Saudi Arabia's
\ncooperation in the fight against terrorism and have criticized
\nthe administration's relationship with Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
Sen. Charles Schumer and other lawmakers have contended that
\nin an attempt to maintain good relations with the kingdom because
\nof its oil, U.S. officials ignore Saudi Arabia's lack of
\ndemocracy, its religious intolerance and what critics say are
\nless than aggressive efforts against terrorism.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-saudi-to-freeze-al-qaeda-linked-assets-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}