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E
Elehssan Society
U.S. Designation Date: May 4, 2005
Background: The Elehssan Society, including all of
its branches, operates as a charitable front for the Palestinian Islamic
Jihad (PIJ). The PIJ has been named a Foreign Terrorist Organization
(FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) by the U.S.
Government and is also named on the European Union’s list of terrorist
entities. PIJ maintained operational activity in 2004, claiming numerous
attacks against Israeli interests. On February 25, 2005, PIJ, claimed
responsibility for a terrorist attack in Tel-Aviv that killed five and
wounded over 50.
As of late 2003, Elehssan cooperated with PIJ to distribute funds to
families of PIJ prisoners and deceased members, and was informed by PIJ
when entitlements were sent. Information available to the U.S.
government shows that Elehssan maintains lists of PIJ-associated
families who are to receive compensation- including the families of PIJ
suicide bombers. As of 2005, information available to the U.S.
government shows that PIJ continues to fund activities via the Elehssan
Society. Notably, in 2005 PIJ funds were provided to Elehssan Bethleham
and in 2004, information shows that PIJ provided funds to Elehssan in
Gaza and Lebanon. In mid-2002, Elehssan received hundreds of thousands
of dollars from abroad that were deposited into accounts in the West
Bank.
AKAs: Elehssan Society
Elehssan Society and Birr
Elehssan Society Wabirr
Birr and Elehssan Society
Bir Wa Elehssan Society
Ihsan Charity
Jami’a Al-Ahsan Al-Khariyyah
Al-Ahsan Charitable Organization
Al-Ihsan Charitable Society
Al-Bir and Al-Ihsan Organization
Al-Bar and Al-Ihsan Societies
Al-Bar and Al-Ihsan Society
Al-Birr Wa Al-Ihsan Wa Al-Naqa
Al-Birr Wa Al-Ihsan Charity Association
The Benevolent Charitable Organization
For Additional Information: http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/js2426.htm
G
Global Relief Foundation
U.S. Designation Date: October 18, 2002
UN Designation Date: October 22, 2002
Background: The Global Relief Foundation (GRF), also
known as Fondation Secours Mondial (FSM), and its officers and
directors have connections to, and have provided support for and
assistance to, Usama bin Laden (UBL), al Qaida, and other known
terrorist groups. Rabih Haddad, a senior GRF official who co-founded GRF
and served as its president throughout the 1990s and in the year 2000,
worked for Makhtab al-Khidamat (MK), the precursor organization to al
Qaida, in Pakistan in the early 1990s. In addition, GRF provided
financial and other assistance to, and received funding from,
individuals associated with al Qaida, including Mohammed Galeb Kalaje
Zouaydi. Zouaydi is a suspected financier of al Qaida’s worldwide
terrorist efforts and was arrested in Europe in April 2002. Spain’s
Interior Ministry has described transfers totaling about $600,000 from
Zouaydi and his partners to al Qaida-related organizations, including
GRF. GRF has admitted receiving funds from Zouaydi, including over
$200,000 to Nabil Sayadi, Head of FSM, GRF’s Belgium office. GRF and FSM
personnel had multiple contacts with Wadih El-Hage, UBL’s personal
secretary when UBL was in Sudan. El-Hage was convicted in a U.S.
district court in May 2001 for participating in a conspiracy to kill
United States nationals, which conspiracy included, among other acts,
the UBL-directed 1998 bombings of the U.S. Embassies in Kenya and
Tanzania. Documents recovered from a search in Kenya indicated that
El-Hage was in contact with GRF after he returned from visiting al Qaida
leadership in Afghanistan in February 1997. GRF acknowledged that
El-Hage and Nabil Sayadi were in contact during this period. GRF also
dealt with officials of the Taliban, which at the time was an entity
subject to U.S. sanctions pursuant to United States E.O. 13129
(prohibiting trade and most transactions with the Taliban because it
provided a safe haven and base of operations for UBL and al Qaida) and
subject to international sanctions pursuant to UNSCRs 1267 and 1333. In
November 2001, during the air strikes in Afghanistan, a GRF medical
relief coordinator traveled to Kabul and engaged in dealings and
negotiations with Taliban officials until the collapse of the Taliban
regime. A set of photographs and negatives discovered in 1997 in a trash
dumpster outside of GRF’s office in Illinois depicted large shipping
boxes displayed under a GRF banner. These boxes contained sophisticated
communications equipment valued at $120,000. GRF has stocked and
promoted audio tapes and books authored by Sheikh Abdullah Azzam, who
was co-founder, with UBL, of MK as well as spiritual founder of Hamas;
these tapes and books glorified armed jihad. Despite Azzam’s terrorist
background, GRF enthusiastically promoted Azzam’s materials to the
public. GRF published several Arabic newsletters and pamphlets that
advocated armed action through jihad against groups perceived to be
un-Islamic. A GRF newsletter requested donations “for equipping the
raiders, for the purchase of ammunition and food, and for their [the
Mujahideen’s] transportation so that they can raise God the Almighty’s
word . . .” GRF also received $18,521 from the Holy Land Foundation for
Relief and Development (HLF) in 2000. HLF, a Dallas, Texas based Islamic
charitable organization, was designated under E.O. 13224 on December 4,
2001, and under the European Union’s Regulation (EC) No. 2580/2001 on
June 17, 2002, for its ties to terrorism. See also Taibah International
(Bosnia).
AKA: Fondation Secours Mondial
For Additional Information: http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/po3553.htm
Goodwill Charitable Organization (United States)
U.S. Designation Date: July 24, 2007
Background:
The Goodwill Charitable Organization (GCO), a fundraising office
established by the Martyrs Foundation in Dearborn, Michigan, is a
Hizballah front organization that reports directly to the leadership of
the Martyrs Foundation in Lebanon. Hizballah recruited GCO leaders and
has maintained close contact with GCO representatives in the United
States. GCO has provided financial support to Hizballah directly and
through the Martyrs Foundation in Lebanon. Hizballah's leaders in
Lebanon have instructed Hizballah members in the United States to send
their contributions to GCO and to contact the GCO for the purpose of
contributing to the Martyrs Foundation. Since its founding, GCO has sent
a significant amount of money to the Martyrs Foundation in Lebanon.
Also designated on this date was Ahmad al-Shami, who has worked for the
Martyrs Foundation in Lebanon and has been in frequent contact with GCO.
Money raised by GCO was sent to al-Shami in Lebanon to be distributed
to the Martyrs Foundation. Hizballah leadership placed Ahmad al-Shami in
his position at the Martyrs Foundation in Lebanon.
For additional information: http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/hp503.htm
H
HAMAS-related Charities:
General Background: The U.S. designated HAMAS as a terrorist
organization pursuant to Executive Order 12947 in 1995 and as a foreign
terrorist organization in 1997. HAMAS was also designated a “specially
designated global terrorist” under E.O. 13224 in 2001. HAMAS is a
terrorist organization that has intentionally killed hundreds of
innocent civilians and continues to kill and maim with the aim of
terrorizing a civilian population. HAMAS was formed in 1987 as an
outgrowth of the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. HAMAS
activists have conducted many attacks – including large-scale suicide
bombings – against Israeli citizens and military targets. In the early
1990s, they also targeted U.S. citizens, suspected Palestinian
collaborators and Fatah rivals.
During 2002, more than 370 persons – including 10 US citizens – were
killed in Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip by acts of terrorism.
HAMAS was responsible for carrying out more than 50 of these attacks,
including shootings, suicide bombings, and standoff mortar-and-rocket
attacks against civilian and military targets. The group was responsible
for the most deadly Palestinian terrorist attack of the year – the
suicide bombings of a Passover gathering at a Netanya hotel that killed
29 Israelis, including one dual US-Israeli citizen. HAMAS's bombing of a
cafeteria on the Hebrew University campus, which killed nine, including
five US citizens, demonstrated its willingness to stage operations in
areas frequented by Westerners, including US citizens.
In addition, HAMAS's rejectionist policies and terrorist actions are
aimed at derailing the peace process in the Middle East. On April 30,
2003, the U.S. government released the roadmap for peace between Israel
and the Palestinians, which constitutes a crucial step in international
efforts to actively support movement towards peace in the region. HAMAS,
however, has since the mid-90s purposefully worked against all regional
peace efforts by engaging in suicide attacks and other acts of the most
violent type of terrorism. On June 8, 2003 and June 11, 2003 HAMAS
claimed responsibility for attacks against Israelis. The organization
also took credit for four suicide bombings in a 24-hour period during
the weekend preceding May 20th, 2003.
HAMAS Fundraising
HAMAS raises tens of millions of dollars per year throughout the
world using charitable fundraising as cover. While HAMAS may provide
money for legitimate charitable work, this work is a primary recruiting
tool for the organization's militant causes. HAMAS relies on donations
from Palestinian expatriates around the world and private benefactors
located in moderate Arab states, Western Europe and North America. HAMAS
uses a web of charities to facilitate funding and to funnel money.
Charitable donations to non-governmental organizations are commingled,
moved between charities in ways that hide the money trail, and are then
often diverted or siphoned to support terrorism.
The political leadership of HAMAS directs its terrorist networks just
as they oversee their other activities. HAMAS leader Yassin confirms
this relationship, stating to al-Sharq al-Awsat on August 12, 2002:
"When we make decisions on the political level and convey them to the
military wing, it abides by it normally.” The intensity of this
relationship is reflected in Yassin's words quoted by Reuters on May 12,
1998:
“We can not separate the wing from the body. If we do so, the body will not be able to fly. HAMAS is one body.”
Fundraising may involve community solicitation in the United States,
Canada, Europe and the Middle East or solicitations directly to wealthy
donors. While some donors may be aware of the intended use of their
donations, too many innocent donors who intend for their money to be
used to provide humanitarian services here or abroad, are unwittingly
funding acts of violence when these funds are diverted to terrorist
causes.
HAMAS fundraising directly undermines the Middle East peace process.
These funds allow the group to continue to foment violence, strengthen
its terrorist infrastructure, and undermine responsible leadership. In
order to generate and support momentum towards peace, to strengthen the
ability of the new Palestinian leadership to take the actions it must
take against HAMAS, the assets of groups like HAMAS must be frozen, as
well as the assets of organizations raising funds for such terrorist
groups.
See also Al Aqsa Foundation, Association de Secours
Palestinien, Commité de Bienfaisance et de Secours aux Palestiniens,
Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, Interpal (Palestinian
Relief & Development Fund, Palestinian Association in Austria
(PVOE), Sanabil Association for Relief and Development
Hilal Ahmar Society Indonesia (HASI)
The Hilal Ahmar Society Indonesia (HASI) is ostensibly JI’s
humanitarian wing, which since 2011 has operated as a non-governmental
organization (NGO) in Indonesia. While not indicative of the activities
of the charitable sector as a whole, the activities of HASI demonstrate
how terrorist groups, such as JI, continue to abuse charitable giving to
raise and use funds to support violent acts and provide cover for
logistical requirements for their terrorist organization.
Since
2012, HASI has sent multiple groups of JI terrorist fighters to Syria
for military training and has also helped raise funds and recruit for
the terrorist group.
Since mid-2013, HASI has engaged in a number of activities to support
the recruitment and travel of foreign terrorist fighters for JI to
deploy to Syria. These deployments to Syria routinely included JI
members that were sent for military training and to join Syrian
fighters. In several instances, HASI supported the travel of JI
officials, including senior JI leader Bambang Sukirno and JI operative
Angga Dimas Pershada to Syria, both of whom have also have been
designated as SDGTs today. One of HASI's recent deployments to Syria
took place in May 2014.
JI has used HASI to raise funds, and together the two groups have
cooperated on fundraising. As of 2013, HASI members participated in
several fundraisers with JI in Indonesia that raised tens of thousands
of dollars. In addition, JI officials have encouraged followers to
provide material support for the fighting in Syria, including through
contributing donations to HASI.
HASI also has ties to U.S. and UN-designated ANF.
HASI, which translates into English as, “Indonesian Red Crescent
Society”, is not affiliated with the humanitarian group International
Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
For more information, see Treasury’s press release: http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl2651.aspx
The Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development
U.S. Designation Date: December 4, 2001 and re-designated on May 31, 2002
Background: The Holy Land Foundation for Relief and
Development (HLF) was designated under Executive Orders 13224 and 12947
as a charity that provided millions of dollars of material and
logistical support to HAMAS. HLF, originally known as the Occupied Land
Fund, was established in California in 1989 as a tax-exempt charity. In
1992, HLF relocated to Richardson, Texas. It had offices in California,
New Jersey, and Illinois, and individual representatives scattered
throughout the United States, the West Bank, and Gaza. In the year 2000
alone, HLF raised over $13 million. HLF supported HAMAS activities
through direct fund transfers to its offices in the West Bank and Gaza
that are affiliated with HAMAS and transfers of funds to Islamic charity
committees ("zakat committees") and other charitable organizations that
are part of HAMAS or controlled by HAMAS members. Mousa Mohamed Abu
Marzook, a political leader of HAMAS, provided substantial funds to the
Holy Land Foundation in the early 1990s. In 1994, Marzook (who was named
a Specially Designated Terrorist by the Treasury Department in 1995)
designated HLF as the primary fund-raising entity for HAMAS in the
United States. HLF funds were used by HAMAS to support schools that
served HAMAS ends by encouraging children to become suicide bombers and
to recruit suicide bombers by offering support to their families. HLF
and several of its directors were indicted on criminal charges in July
2004.
For Additional Information: http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/po837.htm |
Last Updated: August 21, 2007
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