US freezes assets of groups linked to Hamas
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Bush administration froze the assets on Tuesday of financial groups accused of financing the militant Palestinian organization Hamas.
Two administration officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Bush would announce the action Tuesday against a leading Islamic foundation in the United States and two other financial groups.
The freeze would apply to the assets of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, an organization based in Richardson, Texas, that raised $13 million last year and is one of the largest Muslim charities in the United States. The two other groups were not immediately known.
The administration had planned the crackdown for later in the month, but moved up the action after the weekend suicide bombings in Israel that killed 25 people.
Hamas, already on the State Department terrorist list, has taken responsibility for the attacks.
The administration action, taken just after midnight, is the third such move since October. Last month, the administration seized terrorist assets linked to Islamic money exchanges operating in the United States.
Money is deposited with a broker in one place and recipients get a code or token that lets them collect the same amount somewhere else, usually from a small merchant belonging to the same clan.
Foreign ministers from the seven leading industrialized nations – the United States, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Canada – agreed in September to produce a coordinated plan to freeze the assets of terrorist organizations.
It was not immediately clear whether any of those countries were moving against groups backing Hamas and similar organizations active in the IsraeliPalestinian dispute.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments