Does Your Charity Support Terrorism?

The holiday season isn't too far off. You're all probably already starting to compile a list of things you want...I mean, things you want to give your family for Christmas, Hanukah, and whatever the gift-giving season beckons. Speaking of gift-giving, being the charitable nation that we are you may also be inclined to donate a few dollars to a good cause. But ask yourself: is that charity supporting terrorism?

At first it may seem too far-fetched. You might think "wow, trying to shock us into a story here", but people often try to take advantage of our generous nature. We've seen the phishing scams, the phone calls, little Timmy lost all his limbs and needs your money bad so pass this on or he'll die (funny how Timmy never has a last name).

There are actual charities set up that, at first glance, seem innocent and the money is going to a good cause, but are really designed to subvert our nation. The following is a list of accused and convicted charities and charity head-persons that have come under fire for supporting terrorism:

1. Just this past July, the Federal Bureau of Investigation raided a popular charity group in Dearborn, Michigan, known as the Goodwill Charitable Organization. The Goodwill group (no relation to the more popular Goodwill Industries) claimed to have been created in order to assist poor people. However, the FBI had been investigating them and found documents that show the Goodwill Charitable Organization was actually supporting the Martyrs Foundation, a group in Lebanon that supports-you guessed it- Hezbollah forces. Although the investigation hasn't been completed and this charity was one in a series of raids, we all know that the FBI doesn't usually step into someone's office without good cause.

2. In Portland, Oregon, the director of a charity was arrested on charges that he helped smuggle $150,000 to a Saudi-based charity that was shut down in America by the U.S. Treasury for supporting terrorism back in 2004.

The director, Pirouz Sedeghaty, plead not guilty and insists that HIS chapter of the charity Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation- did not support the organization known to fund Muslim Chechneyan rebels. However, suspicious circumstances cast doubt on his case. #1: Sedeghaty was on the run for four years and was caught by customs at an airport and #2: The partner whom he founded the charity with, Soliman Al-Buthi, is considered an international fugitive who left the country in 2001.

3. One of the larger cases to watch for that involved a Texas-based charity and a 14-year investigation. The Holy Land Foundation had been giving to the needy for years and years, but an FBI investigation concluded that they contributed a significant amount of money - at least $12 million- to organizations overseas that supported the Hamas.

The organization was shut down in 2001. Recorded phone calls show the defendants describing the suicide bombings by Hamas members in Israel as "beautiful operations". An imam in Georgia plead guilty on similar charges and admitted he donated funds to the Holy Land Foundation to support terrorist operations. Another scary detail of the case is that the Holy Land foundation involved 5 other charities working from the same website, to include CAIR, the Counsel of American Islamic Relations. CAIR was established in 1994 to help assist relations between Muslims and Americans, particularly on the legal side of the house.

4. And as you've probably recently heard on the news, Jose Padilla was convicted of supporting terrorism. One of his co-defendants, Kifa Wael Jayyousi, used his American Worldwide Relief charity to by and provides equipment for terrorists.
If you want to give to charity, follow some of the FBI's guidelines as listed on their website. One rule is that when in doubt, check it out. Ask a lot of questions. Find out how the money gets to the root cause. It doesn't hurt to ask.

Also, the IRS website, www.irs.gov, has a listing of legitimate charities you can donate to. If you do get scammed, call the Federal Trade Commission hotline toll-free at 877 FTC HELP.