On Dec. 5 the U.S. Department of the Treasury released a revised version of its November 2002 Anti-Terrorist Financing Guidelines: Voluntary Best Practices for U.S.-Based Charities. The Treasury Department announcement requested public comment on the revisions by Feb. 1, although the revised guidelines are now operational. href="/npadv/PDF/treascomms/OMBWtreascomms.pdf">OMB Watch's comments The Treasury Guidelines Working Group Comments Kinder USA Comments MPAC Comments ACLU Comments Muslim Advocates Comments Friends Of Charities Association Comments The revised guidelines apply to all charities, including foundations and grantees, both foreign and domestic. An expanded introduction notes that adherence to the guidelines provides no legal protection from government sanctions, including the freezing and/or seizing of assets, and makes three new points: 1) the guidelines are voluntary, 2) they are intended to assist the sector in avoiding the risk of diversion of funds, and 3) they are a response to what the Treasury Department perceives as a widespread problem of terrorist abuse of charities. A more detailed href="/article/articleview/3206/1/407?TopicID=1">summary of the guidelines is available, as well as a href="/pdfs/Treas_Guidelines_Side-by-Side.pdf" target="_blank">side-by-side comparison of the 2002 and the 2005 revised version.