US accuses British charity of 'financing terrorism'

[emad]

Telegraph
By Daniel Foggo and Philip Sherwell in Washington
(Filed: 13/02/2005)

A British charity has been accused by the American government of financing Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda and the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.

The Islamic Relief Agency (ISRA), which is based in Birmingham and provides aid for orphanages and water wells in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, has been designated by the United States treasury as being part of a network of "terrorist" charities that have allegedly "provided hundreds of thousands of dollars to Osama bin Laden".

The Telegraph has also discovered that Yusuf Islam, the singer formerly known as Cat Stevens who was refused entry to America last September because his name was on a security watch list, has previously donated thousands of pounds to the Birmingham charity.

The reason for his exclusion has never been publicly revealed, but last night American officials indicated that the entertainer's funding of the ISRA was one of the reasons for him being banned. Mr Islam has always denied financing terrorism.

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[satya]

1. The BFEE finances terrorism; let's shut them down...

instead of taking money from orphans. The * regime's policies orphaned a lot of those kids. Haven't they done enough already? When is this going to stop?

[leesa]

2. Oh shut up US. YOU have supported more terrorism than any other

group on earth.

[cliss]

3. The US doesn't know which side its bread

is buttered. Or: be thankful for whatever friends you have.

How many allies do we have, anyway? England (shaky at best). Any more? Poland, Australia, a handful of small countries like Borneo, New Guinea.

And here we go jumping to attack the UK, one of our last remaining allies.

Actually, I'm not sure if this is anything but posturing. Do we REALLY have the capacity to go after every seeming threat? Like Cat Stevens and a charity? Give me a break. While the fires of hell are burning around us, as the majority of citizens of the world wake up every morning and curse us.

[applegrove]

4. As if American Business Interests do not?

Why the hell not a huge, big, energy bill to slap the Fundamentalist Islamists across the face?

Why not that! Will horns and marching bands ... 'here you go Osama - here you go: you are responsible single handedly of turning American energy policy against oil'. See how long Osama lasts in the Wilderness after that!!

But no - it is always go after the funding 'lite'. Go after the workers sending home money to their Islamist political organizations. As if the wealth in the Muslim world is somehow all from Manchester, England.