Charitable Giving:

In the last several years there has been a disgusting trend exposed, a truly heinous breach of human dignity and respect. The abuse of charities for the purposes of supporting murder and chaos under the guise of helping the needy is perhaps the most sinister exploitation of humanity this side of genocide and slavery.

Why such a harsh tone? Think about it. What is worse than palying to the emotional, psychological sense of human fraternity by asking a person to help their fellow human beings to live a little better, to have clean watr, medicine and medical attention, food, etc. all with the intent of fostering not human growth, but murder and violence? Imagine recieving a solicitation letter sent to thousands of perspective givers saying:

"Please, help the poor people of Africa (or another area of great poverty and often strife). With your support, these children who have never slept in a clean bed can have the chance to eat 3 meals a day, go to a school to better themselves, and have medicine to keep them from dying before adulthood."

Imagine reading a note of that sort (as I am sure most have) and thinking "What is $50 dollars to me right now? I can surely spare that over the course of a year, especially when I see the good it can do others." Imagine that you send this money, feeling as though you are helping the world become a better place, in your own small, but meaningful way.

Now consider that after years, months, or only once donating money to such charitable causes you read in the news that the charities recieving your checks have been funneling money to Al Qaeda (see also here), or Hamas (also see here, here, and here), or other terrorist groups.

Indeed, the practice of using charities to finance terror is nothing new, and is something that has been well documented. For more information see the following:

• 9-11 Commission Report on Terror Financing[PDF Document];


• CRS Report on Saudi Terror Financing[PDF Document];


• Terrorist Financing an "Evolving" Threat, Says Treasury Official, see also Treasury Targets Trade Abuse That Finances Terrorists;


• Charitable Organizations and Terrorist Financing: A War on Terror Status-Check - An excellent article which, though long, is not as long as others on this list and is a great backgrounder on the subject of terror financing;


• and How Terrorist Organizations Utilize Charity Funds for the Financing of Terror.

Sadly, as can be guessed from the amount of information that exists about charities acting as terrorist financing hubs, the practice is widespread.

Yet another reason why this practice should be viewed as particularly evil is the fact that, as a citizen of a free country, charitable giving is both part of the culture, and part of the rights afforded to each and every individual. These groups (the Holy Land Foundation, Benevolence International, Al-Harmain, Global Relief Foundation, etc.) abused the rights of the free world by soliciting tax deductable donations from American (and European) citizens, both Muslim and non-Muslim, under the guise of supporting children and those in need. It is as if they inteded to abuse not only the targets of terrorism, but the entire Western system in their search for moeny to fund their horrific activities.

While charities are not the only source of funding that terrorist groups make use of, I believe the abuse of charitable donations for supporting terrorism is the most sinister of them all.