Federal agents raid Islamic charity in suburban Detroit

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/09/18/america/NA_GEN_US_Muslim_Charity_Raided.php

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (AP) Federal counterterrorism officials on Monday raided the suburban Detroit offices of an international Muslim humanitarian organization.

FBI and Joint Terrorism Task Force agents executed search warrants at the Southfield headquarters of Life for Relief and Development.

The warrants were based on a criminal assertion, but the affidavits in support of the warrants are sealed, William Kowalski, an assistant special agent in the FBI's Detroit office, told the Detroit Free Press.

``The warrants have been signed off by a judge, and it pertains to an ongoing criminal matter,'' FBI spokeswoman Dawn Clenney told The Associated Press. She did not give additional details.

Agents hauled away documents, letters and ledgers starting at about 9 a.m., said Dawud Walid, head of the Michigan branch of the Council on American Islamic Relations. Walid said agents told officials at the charity that the raid was related to criminal activity.

``They're seizing documents,'' Walid said. ``They haven't closed down the charity, they haven't filed any charges against the organization nor have they arrested anyone. It was totally unexpected and they're baffled.''

Mohammed Alomari, spokesman for Life for Relief and Development, said the organization raises money for humanitarian relief efforts and for development projects such as building schools, water treatment plants, computer centers and sewing centers for women. He said the organization has offices in Iraq, Pakistan, Jordan, Israel, Syria and Sierra Leone.

A statement on the organization's Web site said it ``has provided over $50 million in humanitarian assistance to more than 13 million beneficiaries worldwide.''

It was founded by Iraqi Americans in 1992.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

In the interest of timeliness, this story is fed directly from the Associated Press newswire and may contain occasional typographical errors.


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