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New York News Day - July 15, 2004
Muslim leaders want 'terror-free' label
BY RON HOWELL
Facing a fall off in donations since Sept. 11, 2001, local (New York) Muslim leaders asked federal officials Tuesday night to come up with a seal of approval that would assure potential donors that a group does not have ties to terrorism.
The Muslims said the matter was critical, because many immigrant Muslims are afraid that if they contribute to an Islamic group they may be accused at some point in the future of supporting terrorism.
Charitable groups and mosques are hurting, they said.
"I would suggest to you that most of the organizations here rely on public donations," attorney Khurrum Wahid told FBI agents at a Bensonhurst catering hall where the Muslim American Society has offices.
Pasquale J. D'Amuro, the FBI agent in charge of the New York City office, told the several dozen Muslim leaders that he doubted a stamp of approval could be developed, but he left open the possibility that FBI officials might discuss the matter with counterparts at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. "We can raise these questions," D'Amuro said.
Asghar Choudhri, president of the Brooklyn-based Pakistan American Federation of New York, said in an interview yesterday that the Makki mosque, where he is a board member, has experienced a 25 percent fall-off in contributions since Sept. 11, 2001, and has indefinitely postponed plans to erect a new house of worship. "People are afraid to send any money to these chartitable organizations because they don't want their names to be picked up in an investigation," said Choudhri, who was at the Tuesday night meeting.
The issue is especially important during the upcoming month of Ramadan, when Muslims traditionally make charitable donations to their mosques and to the poor, Wahid said in an interview….
http://www.nynewsday.com/news/local/manhattan/nyc-mus0715,0,4199010.story?coll=nyc-manheadlines-manhattan
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