Muslims fear giving to charity

Federal laws targeting the financing of terrorism give the government unchecked power over US Muslim charities and have made Muslims fearful about giving to charity as required by their faith. -- PHOTO: AFP

DALLAS - FEDERAL laws targeting the financing of terrorism give the government unchecked power over US Muslim charities and have made Muslims fearful about giving to charity as required by their faith, an advocacy group contends in a report released on Tuesday.

As a result, some have stopped donating or limited how much they give out of worry they could be swept up in a federal investigation, according to the report by the American Civil Liberties Union.

'It undermines America's image in the Muslim world, alienates Muslims in America... and keeps charities from doing good work,' said report author Jennifer Turner.

Government officials have closed seven Muslim charities, and two others have shut down on their own after being raided. The charities were based in Texas, Michigan, Missouri, Illinois, Oregon, Ohio, Massachusetts and New York.

Closure of the Muslim charities followed the terrorist attacks of Sept 11, 2001. Ms Turner said the closings stemmed from Bush administration policies that allowed shuttering of charities without a hearing, often using weak or secret evidence.

The ACLU said it based its report on more than 120 interviews with US Muslim leaders and donors and with former Treasury Department officials.

It concluded that federal policies have made Muslims afraid they could face criminal prosecution if they gave to a charity without realizing it was under suspicion - even if they only wanted to aid victims of natural disasters, Ms Turner said.

The Treasury Department denies targeting donors and says it is working to refine the guidance it gives to charities and potential donors.

President Barack Obama, during his speech in Cairo this month, emphasised a commitment to addressing laws that hinder US Muslims' ability to pay zakat - the religious obligation to donate to charity.

Last month, a federal judge in Dallas sentenced five members of the now-defunct Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development to prison. They were convicted last November of funneling money to the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The defendants said they only gave much-needed aid to a volatile region. -- AP