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November 14, 2008
A Treasury Terrorism Designation…and a Curious Omission
The Treasury Department’s decision to designate the Union of Good for funding Hamas is welcome and overdue.
What is interesting, however, as noted by the Global Muslim Brotherhood Daily Report (free registration required) is that the designation does not directly touch Yousef al-Qaradawi, the head of the organization and the leading theologian for the Muslim Brotherhood. Here is his website, where he is listed with the Union of Good president.
The reason for the OFAC designation is stated as:
The leadership of Hamas created the Union of Good in late-2000, shortly after the start of the second Intifada, in order to facilitate the transfer of funds to Hamas. The Union of Good acts as a broker for Hamas by facilitating financial transfers between a web of charitable organizations-including several organizations previously designated under E.O. 13224 for providing support to Hamas-and Hamas-controlled organizations in the West Bank and Gaza. The primary purpose of this activity is to strengthen Hamas’ political and military position in the West Bank and Gaza, including by: (i) diverting charitable donations to support Hamas members and the families of terrorist operatives; and (ii) dispensing social welfare and other charitable services on behalf of Hamas.
The designation describes some of the relationship between some members of the Union and Hamas:
The Union of Good’s executive leadership and board of directors includes Hamas leaders, Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs), and other terrorist supporters. The secretary general of the Union of Good, for example, also acts as the vice-chairman of the United Kingdom-based Interpal, which was designated in 2003 for providing financial support to Hamas under the cover of charitable activity. As of mid-2007, this official served on the Hamas executive committee under Hamas leader Khaled Misha’al.
The designation also fails to mention that Hamas, according to Article 2 of its own charter, is an integral part of the Muslim Brotherhood and defines itself as such. So, the Muslim Brotherhood charities funding the Muslim Brotherhood’s Hamas wing should not be a surprise.
But what of Qaradawi, who is the most visible face of the international Muslim Brotherhood? He has issued fatwas supporting suicide bombings against Israel, the killings of Americans in Iraq, the beating of women as long as it doesn’t leave visible marks, and the establishment of the global Muslim Caliphate.
His books are widely distributed by the Muslim Brotherhood legacy groups in the United States and around the world. He hosts a popular TV show and online chats, giving him one of the most important platforms among Islamists today.
Qaradawi is also the architect of the Brotherhood’s long-term plan to convert Europe to an Islamic bastion through the pushing of the Islamist legal code and separatism.
He has been banned from entering Britain and the United States, but not designated. Perhaps next time? Hard to believe one would designate his organization without designating him.
FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor Douglas Farah is an award-winning investigative journalist and Senior Fellow in Financial Investigations and Transparency at the International Assessment and Strategy Center. E-mail him at doug@douglasfarah.com.
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