MAS Outraged (Again)

The US Treasury issued a press release a few days ago stating that the assets of KindHearts, an Ohio-based Muslim charitable organization, have been frozen.

"KindHearts is the progeny of Holy Land Foundation and Global Relief Foundation, which attempted to mask their support for terrorism behind the façade of charitable giving," said Stuart Levey, Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. "By utilizing this specialized designation tool, we're able to prevent asset flight in support of terrorist activities while we further investigate the activities of KindHearts."

US law enforcement and intelligence officials maintain that KindHearts has provided monetary support to Hamas in Lebanon and the West Bank, and supported the Palestinian Intifada.  Hamas, which has called for the nuclear destruction of Israel, is on the US terrorist organization list.  (Take the quiz here to learn more about Hamas.) The action by the US Treasury freezes any KindHearts assets under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with the NGO.

Now, you might think that an American Muslim advocacy organization might want to stop funds going to terrorist activities.  But no, Brother Mahdi Bray of the Muslim American Society issued an overwrought press release on February 28  claiming that Muslim's First Amendment rights have been violated.  That's right, their freedom of religion has been violated, because their funds that apparently are going to Hamas have been frozen.  What's the Arabic word for "chutzpah"?

Brother Mahdi (apparently pretty angry) says:

"Let’s be clear: the money we give to charities to assist the needy [Zakat] is mandated by our lord Allah....The government breaches our constitutional rights when it stops our religious obligation of Zakat from reaching its source." 

"The government interruption of Muslim charitable giving, and their refusal to release the funds to the needy, while claiming such activities are being investigated for terrorist ties, are not just unacceptable; they’re illegal......Dear brothers and sisters; your government is stealing from poor American Muslims and calling it a war on terrorism. They are violating your Constitutional rights and calling it the spread of democracy."

Surely you jest.

And he gets invited to the White House?

Comments

[Solomon]

I had a good laugh reading that press release.

The government must be doing something right.