Obama To Ease the Impact of Post-9/11 Srutiny of Charities

President Obama to American Muslims: I will ease the impact of post-9/11 scrutiny of charities
Daily News
Tucked away in President Obama’s historic speech in Cairo Thursday was a promise to American Muslims to ease the impact of post-9/11 scrutiny of their charities.

“Rules on charitable giving have made it harder for Muslims to fulfill their religious obligation. That’s why I’m committed to working with American Muslims to ensure that they can fulfill zakat,” said Obama, referring to the Muslim obligation to be charitable.

A Treasury Department spokeswoman, Natalie Wyeth, described an increased effort to talk with the groups, to “help them protect against terrorist abuse of charity and to refine the guidance surrounding charitable giving.”
Ever since the World Trade Center attacks, fund-raising by American Muslims has come under repeated federal investigations for possible support of terrorism.
Just last week, a federal judge in Dallas sentenced five leaders of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development to between 15 and 65 years in prison after they were convicted of providing material support to Hamas.
American Muslims complain legitimate philanthropy has been hampered because the rules are ill-defined.

“The perception that giving to charities is financing terrorism has to be debunked,” said Salam Al-Marayati, executive director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council. “It hurts America.”

“There’s no public notice of who you can and can’t do business with,” said Kay Guinane, who is leading an effort on the issue for OMB Watch, a good-government group.

“It’s created a tremendous climate of fear,” she said. “Donors are afraid they may be prosecuted for giving to an organization now that may be declared a supporter of terrorism two years from now.”

“We need long-term sensible laws in this area,” she concluded, “and that’s why I was so happy to hear that that the President recognizes that there is a problem and is committed to doing something about it.”

Wild Thing’s comment………..
“The perception that giving to charities is financing terrorism has to be debunked,” said Salam Al-Marayati, executive director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council. “It hurts America”
Pardon me, but WTF? One of the ways President Bush and our Homeland Security during the Bush administraion was able to go after terrorists, STOP possible attacks from happening was that veery thing. The Banks and donations and who the Muslim groups were donating to.
OMG
“Just last week, a federal judge in Dallas sentenced five leaders of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development to between 15 and 65 years in prison after they were convicted of providing material support to Hamas”
EXACTLY! This should be taken as an act of aiding the enemy during war. Heck even if we were not at war. He is a TRAITOR to our country, and has not kept his oath of office.
Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development ( HLF )

U.S-based Islamic charity shut down by authorities in 2001 for funding the terrorist group Hamas

A non-profit, tax-exempt, charitable trust headquartered in Richardson, Texas. It also maintained branch offices in New Jersey, California, and Illinois.

Suspicious of its terrorist ties, U.S. federal authorities began monitoring the Holy Land Foundation in 1996. On September 5, 2001, federal anti-terrorism agents raided InfoCom Corporation, the company that ran the HLF website.

On December 4, 2001, the Bush administration seized all HLF assets and records because of its Hamas connections. Said President Bush at the time: “Hamas has obtained much of the money that it pays for murder abroad right here in the United States, money originally raised by the Holy Land Foundation. The Holy Land Foundation … raised $13 million from people in America last year. … Money raised by the Holy Land Foundation is used by Hamas to support schools and indoctrinate children to grow up into suicide bombers. [It] is also used by Hamas to recruit suicide bombers and to support their families.”