The leaders of one former charity, Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, were convicted in November of funneling more than $12 million to the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The U.S. has designated Hamas a terrorist organization, making contributions to it illegal. Two founding members of Holy Land, once the nation's largest Muslim charity, were each sentenced last month to 65 years in prison.
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ACLU condemns U.S. crackdown on Muslim charities
Harsh measures meant to combat terrorist financing violate the charities' rights, a report says, and deter Muslims from giving.
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Still, Muslim advocates and the ACLU said the government has seized the assets of other charities without charging them with a crime. Such an approach has driven charitable giving underground and undermined U.S. diplomatic efforts in Muslim countries, they said.
"This is an issue that not only goes to religious giving, but we see this as critical to our continued integration and participation in American public life," said Farhana Khera, executive director of Muslim Advocates, a legal advocacy and education organization based in San Francisco.
"To be engaged in public life, we need to feel comfortable supporting our community institutions," she said.
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duke.helfand@latimes.com
