Agents from the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have executed a search warrant against property purchased on behalf of a branch of the Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation in the state of Oregon.
According to a press release from the US Treasury Department, the warrant was issued in conjunction with a criminal investigation into possible violations of the Internal Revenue Code, the Money Laundering Control Act and the Bank Secrecy Act.
The Oregon office of Al-Haramain is part of an international network of organizations based in Saudi Arabia. The United States, Saudi Arabia and the United Nations (UN) have designated many of the organization's branches as supporters of terrorism. Treasury officials have also blocked the accounts of the Al-Haramain Foundation pending the investigation.
In 2002, the United States Treasury and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia jointly designated the Bosnian and Somalia Branches of Al-Haramain as supporters of terrorism. In December 2003, the reconstituted branch of Al Haramain in Bosnia, Vazir, was also designated by both governments as a supporter of terrorism. In January 2004 four additional Al-Haramain branches in Indonesia, Tanzania, Kenya and Pakistan were designated. — (menareport.com)
© 2004 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
