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http://www.thestar.com//NASApp/cs/ContentServer?GXHC_gx_session_id_=992e f0c6 e10c91e1&pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=10084578150 58&c all_page=TS_News&call_pageid=968332188492&call_pagepath=News/News FBI raids Chicago based Muslim charities Meanwhile, two other relief agencies raided in Yugoslavia BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (AP) - U.S. federal authorities raided the offices and froze the assets of two suburban Chicago Muslim organizations, which have denied any links to terrorism. The Global Relief Foundation in Bridgeview and the Benevolence International Foundation in Palos Hills were searched Friday, FBI spokesperson Ebony Harrel said. No one was arrested. At the same time, two Global Relief Foundation offices in Yugoslavia were searched by NATO-led peacekeepers and UN police. U.S. Treasury Department spokesperson Tony Fratto said early today that "there was co-ordinated action to block the assets because the groups are suspected of funding terrorist activities." At the Global Relief Foundation in Illinois, agents removed furniture and fixtures as well as documents, computer tapes and receipts, said Asim Ghafoor, a foundation spokesman. He said the agents were there from 9:30 a.m. until after 6 p.m. Friday. The group issued a statement denying any link to terrorist activities. "If they're investigating terrorism, they're not going to find anything here," said Roger Simmons, a lawyer for Global Relief. On Friday, a spokesman for Benevolence International said the charity is co-operating. "It's part of a higher level of scrutiny of all Muslim relief organizations," Saffet Catovic told the Chicago Tribune. "We are all under the microscope and we are willing to co-operate." Global Relief's statement lamented the seizure of resources used to prevent "the slow starvation and gruesome death in parts of the Muslim world that rely on such badly needed aid." "We are in the business of helping innocent civilians and take every precaution to ensure our aid does not go to support or subsidize any nefarious activity," the statement said. Officials said the Chicago searches were conducted by the Treasury Department, the FBI and the Customs Department. The search warrants were sealed. Fratto cited the Patriot Act, signed Oct. 26 by President George W. Bush, which gave federal agents broad powers to detain immigrants, eavesdrop on telephone calls and e-mail, and share sensitive details of criminal investigations with the CIA. The NATO statement about the raids on Global Relief offices in Yugoslavia said peacekeepers and UN police had received credible information that Global Relief may have been directly involved in supporting terrorism, which the group has denied. "It is suspected of supporting worldwide terrorist activities and is allegedly involved in planning attacks against targets in the USA and Europe," the statement said. NATO spokesperson Daz Slaven said three people were detained in Friday's raids there. He declined to release details. Bosnian police raided the offices and apartments of employees of the Global Relief Foundation and the Taibah International, another Islamic relief agency, a police statement released Saturday said. Police seized documents and questioned seven agency employees, the statement said. Last week, federal agents raided the Bridgeview offices of another Islamic charity, the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development. Authorities said the Texas-based charity is believed to be a front that raises money for Hamas. The organization denies the allegation. ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9WB2D Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
