UK Charity Commission: Interpal Not Supporting Terror Groups

A Feb. 27, 2009 report by the United Kingdom's Charity Commission into the activities of Palestinians Relief and Development Fund (Interpal) concluded the charity is not funding or supporting groups sponsoring terrorism. The Commission ordered improvements in procedures for choosing and overseeing local charity partners in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Jordan and Lebanon. It also recognized the importance of charities that conduct aid related activities in "high-risk" areas of the world and acknowledged the dangers they face.

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Texas Law Enforcement Memo: Beware Nonprofits Promoting Tolerance

On Feb. 19, 2009 a Texas based hub for national security data collection, the North Central Texas Fusion System, released a Prevention Awareness Bulletin that cites an increase in tolerance as a security concern, cites non-violent activities relating to Muslims and says "it is imperative for law enforcement officers to report these types of activities to identify potential underlying trends emerging in the North Central Texas region." It attracted national attention and criticism from civil liberties organizations.

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Obama Administration Delays Implementation of Controversial USAID Rule

On Feb. 2, the Obama administration announced that it was delaying the implementation of the controversial Partner Vetting System (PVS) rule and opening a 30-day public comment period. The rule is now scheduled to go into effect on April 3.

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Bill to Require USAID Vetting System Introduced in House

On Feb. 13, 2009 Rep. Ileana Los-Lehtinen (R-FL) and 18 co-sponsors introduced H.R. 1062, the Partner Vetting System Act of 2009. It would mandate a controversial vetting program for grantees receiving U.S. foreign assistance. It mirrors a rule proposed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) that would require recipients of U.S.

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Nonprofits' Friend of the Court Brief in KindHearts Case Supports Due Process

On Feb. 27, 2009, ten advocacy groups filed a friend of the court brief in federal court in Ohio that expressed their support for due process rights for nonprofits accused of supporting terrorism. Filed in the case of Kindhearts Charitable Humanitarian Development (Kindhearts) v. Paulson, the brief focuses on the widespread negative impact overbroad counterterrorism rules have on charitable operations.

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Rising Attacks on Aid Workers Linked to Perception of Close Ties to Governments

The rising numbers of attacks against global aid workers is threatening their safety and the humanitarian work they provide in many of the worlds' turbulent areas. Government action that intrudes into the operations of nongovernment organizations has contributed to the problem, according to experts. In the U.S. a proposal to require United States Agency for International Development (USAID) grant applicants to collect and submit personal data on program partners threatens to exacerbate the situation.

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Foreign Legal Challenges to "Terrorist" Designation Prove Successful

On Feb. 17, 2009 a Swedish court in Malmo acquitted the head of a charity of charges that he financed terrorism through a charitable group. Khalid al-Yousef, the leader of al-Aqsa Spannmal (Grain Foundation), faced a six year jail sentence if convicted. It has also been reported that $150,000 in donations raised by the charity which had been frozen by the United States and Britain will be returned.

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Issue Brief: USAID Must Consider Alternative Vetting Approaches

On Jan. 2, 2009 the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) released a final rule for its "Partner Vetting System" (PVS) for nonprofit and charitable groups. The PVS would require grant applicants to submit detailed personal information on "key individuals" to be shared with the intelligence agencies.

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US Designation Causes British Bank Discontinuing Services to UK Approved Charity

Lloyds TSB, one of London's most prominent banks, was pressured into discontinuing financial services to Interpal, a UK based nonprofit, due to ongoing allegations in the UK and the United State's designation of the charity as a terrorist related organization.  Despite two investigations (1996 and 2003) finding no evidence of wrongdoing by the UK Charity Commissions, which monitors and regulates UK based charities, Interpal remains a target of sanctions for terror-related financing.

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Future Unclear for Pakistani Charity's Services after UN Listing as Terror Supporter

Two months after the December 2008 shut down of a Pakistani charity, the fate of people served by hospitals, schools and refugee camps in areas hard hit by an October 2008 earthquake is uncertain.

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