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Seizure charities { June 12 2002 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Attacks-Charities.html http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Attacks-Charities.html June 12, 2002 Judge Upholds Seizure of Charities By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Filed at 4:13 a.m. ET CHICAGO (AP) -- The government has won a victory in its fight to shut off what prosecutors have described as a flow of funds to terrorists through Islamic charities. U.S. District Judge Wayne Andersen upheld as constitutional the government's freezing of the bank accounts of the Global Relief Foundation, an Islamic charity under investigation for links to terrorism. Less than two hours after the ruling Tuesday, Global Relief attorneys filed notice of appeal with the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The Treasury Department issued an order freezing accounts on Dec. 14, the same day agents raided its Bridgeview headquarters. Global Relief responded with a lawsuit on Jan. 28, asking for release of its assets on grounds that the freeze was unconstitutional. But Andersen wrote in his 49-page opinion that the government had ``established probable cause to believe that Global Relief and its executive director were agents of a foreign power.'' Andersen acknowledged that secret evidence -- not shown to Global Relief attorneys -- played a part in his decision not to grant the preliminary injunction sought by the Islamic charitable organization. ``We have reviewed materials furnished by the FBI to us and have concluded that they are relevant to the ongoing investigation and that their disclosure to Global Relief, while the investigation is pending, could undermine this investigation and others of national interest,'' he said. In March, the government did make public four binders of materials it says represent evidence of Global Relief's links to terrorism. Among other things, the materials contained evidence of communication between Global Relief offices in Belgium and Bridgeview and terrorist leader Osama bin Laden's former personal secretary, Wadih El-Hage. Assets of another Chicago-area Islamic charity, Benevolence International Foundation, also were frozen on Dec. 14. The head of that organization, Enaam Arnaout, has since been charged with perjury for denying that the group supports terrorism or military activity. No criminal charges have been brought against Global Relief. Copyright 2002 The Associated Press | Privacy Policy

Irs weapon { July 29 2002 } Peta 9 11 irs { March 5 2002 } Seizure charities { June 12 2002 } Stealing from church { November 9 2001 } Us seize millions foreign banks { May 30 2003 } Files Listed: 5

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