US Freezes Hezbollah Assets in the States
About time, too.
The Bush administration moved yesterday against a key fundraising arm of Hezbollah, the militant Shiite Muslim movement that is part of Lebanon’s government, ordering a freeze on its assets in the United States and making it illegal for Americans to contribute to the organization.
It is also illegal for people in Canada to work with or or donate money to Hezbollah. Canadian authorities can seize any assets linked to the organization.
According to a research report based on declassified Israeli intelligence Hezbollah receives funds not only from Iran but from charities that are radical Islamist organizations and donate to Hezbollah out of ideological affinity, even if they are not themselves run by Hezbollah operatives. “Besides operating a worldwide network of fundraisers, funds are also raised through so-called ‘charity funds.’ Some of these are extremist Islamic institutions that, while not directly connected to Hezbollah, support it, albeit marginally, in view of their radical Islamic orientation.”
The report cites many such charities worldwide, including four in the Detroit area alone: The Islamic Resistance Support Association, the al-Shaid Fund, the Educational Development Association (EDA) and the Goodwill Charitable Organization (GCO). Also cited are the the al-Shahid Organization in Canada, the Karballah Foundation for Liberation in South Africa, the Lebanese Islamic Association and al-Shahid Social Relief Institution in Germany, and the Lebanese Welfare Committee, The Help Foundation and The Jam’iyat al-Abrar (Association of the Righteous) in Britain.
Israel knew one way to get to Hezbollah was to make it more difficult for them to move and access their money – Fifteen hundred times in June, an Israeli jet took off with a load of bombs. But as NBC News reports, the targets have not just been military. Israeli intelligence sources told NBC that among the targets hit in Lebanon are as many as a dozen financial institutions ” part of a previously secret campaign to destroy Hezbollah’s financial infrastructure.
Through phone calls, NBC also learned that The Middle East Africa Bank has a relationship with the U.S. bank Wachovia. A fundraising advertisment that aired on Al Manar television gave a number to to donate money to the Hezbollah resistance and that the money would be sent to a specific bank account at the Middle East Africa Bank.
Wachovia immediately terminated the relationship.
In a statement, a Wachovia spokesman said, “Wachovia confirms that it has very stringent procedures and policies in place to monitor accounts and ensure compliance with the Patriot Act, including not conducting business with any organization identified by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization or supporting terrorism.”
Shepard Smith of Fox News recently reported that all Red Cross and other aid in South Lebanon and other Hezbollah-controlled areas goes straight to Hezbollah. Hezbollah administers it, without any interference–or oversight–from outsiders.
Be careful who you’re donating to.
August 30, 2006 - 03:00 PM on August 30th, 2006
What does this mean? Will 7-11s and Mini Marts all over the U.S. be closing? Where will we get strawberry squishies? Say it ain’t so!
August 30, 2006 - 03:04 PM on August 30th, 2006
Oh no.. I didn’t even THINK about the strawberry squishies! Oh. The. Horror.
August 30, 2006 - 03:07 PM on August 30th, 2006
I wonder if this is the doing of the Partiot Act?
Also, I wonder that if we ae in a GWOT why hadn’t this been done long ago?
August 30, 2006 - 08:48 PM on August 30th, 2006
Actually we have been freezing assets of terrorist organizations since 9/11 and yes the PA is to thank for it. See here
August 30, 2006 - 09:32 PM on August 30th, 2006
The best way we can cut off funsing to terrorists is to cut off all funding to the UN and get ourselves out of thisn AXIS OF EVIL:mad:
September 22, 2006 - 01:25 PM on September 22nd, 2006
I’m a US citizen interested in donating to Hezbollah. Would it be illegal for me to do so? What would be the charge? Opposing Zionism? Is that a felony?