DAR AL HARB - U.S.A. - MISSOURI: ASSETS OF ISLAMIC AMERICAN RELIEF AGENCY-USA ARE TO REMAIN FROZEN

Court Upholds Freeze on Islamic Charity
By SAM HANANEL

upheld the government's decision to freeze the assets of a Missouri-based Islamic charity with alleged links to a foreign group that supports terrorism.

The Treasury Department claims the Islamic American Relief Agency-USA, of Columbia, Mo., is an affiliate of a Sudanese charity - the similarly named Islamic African Relief Agency - accused of financing al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit agreed with a lower court's 2005 decision finding that the charity is a branch of the Sudanese-based agency.

Records describe the Missouri charity as an "affiliate" and a "partner" of the Sudanese group, and the charity sought permission to transfer funds to the group, the appeals court said.

The Missouri charity did not contest the terrorist designation of the Sudanese group, but claims the organizations have independent leaders and separate bank accounts. The Missouri-based group was founded by a Sudanese immigrant in 1985 to raise money for humanitarian activities around the world.

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Pertinent Links:

1) Court Upholds Freeze on Islamic Charity