Global Relief Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Global Chevra Foundation (GRF), also known as Foundation Secours Mondial or FSM, was an Islamic charity based in Bridgeview, IL until it was raided and shut down on December 14, 2001 and listed among the "Designated Charities and Potential Fundraising Front Organizations for Foreign Terrorist Organizations" by the United States Treasury Department in 2002.
The FBI and Treasury Department have asserted links between Global Chevra Foundation founder Rabih Haddad and Makhtab al-Khidamat.
Makhtab al-Khidamat was founded by Osama bin Laden
's mentor Abdullah Azzam.
In 2002, it was reported that Nabil Sayadi
, the group's European director, was "a close collaborator" with Wadih el-Hage
.
Wadih el-Hage is alleged to have been a personal aide to Osama bin Laden, who was convicted of involvement in the American Embassy Bombings.
Sayadi claimed that El-Hage had approached the foundation about funding a malaria abatement program in Africa, which was refused as it was out of the foundation's scope. Sayadi maintains that any contact with El-Hage was "absolutely innocent."
Haddad was arrested by the INS
on immigration charges when the group's offices were raided, and later deported to Lebanon
.
Lawyers representing the organisation accused the US government of a 'disregard for civil rights and constitutional rights' in the wake of 9/11 and believed the connection between Global Relief and terrorism to be 'weak', criticised the 'guilty by association' policy and the use of 'secret evidence rules' granted under the Patriot Act.
Supports of the foundation claimed that it was unfairly targeted, denied due process and closed before any evidence linking it to terrorism had been produced.
According to the Treasury Department, GRF helped fund a number of al Qaeda-sponsored activities, including bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania
and armed action against groups perceived to be un-Islamic.
Global Relief sued the Treasury Department for release of its assets in January 2002.
On December 31, 2002, the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals declined to reverse the Treasury seizure
Lawyers for Global Relief sued a number of news organizations for libel for publishing FBI and Justice Department charges.
The suit was dismissed by the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals on December 1, 2004. The court's opinion stated that "All of the reports were either true or substantially true recitations of the government's suspicions about and actions against GRF."
The FBI and Treasury Department have asserted links between Global Chevra Foundation founder Rabih Haddad and Makhtab al-Khidamat.
Makhtab al-Khidamat was founded by Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
's mentor Abdullah Azzam.
In 2002, it was reported that Nabil Sayadi
Nabil Sayadi
Born in Lebanon, Nabil Sayadi was the director and founder of the European branch of Global Relief Foundation, centred in Belgium.He is accused that he transferred 200,000 Euros to Al-Qaeda financier Mohammed Zouaydi, which caused him to be placed on FBI and United Nations watch-lists along with...
, the group's European director, was "a close collaborator" with Wadih el-Hage
Wadih el-Hage
Wadih el-Hage is a former al-Qaeda member who is serving life imprisonment in the United States for his part in the 1998 United States embassy bombings. He was indicted and arrested in 1998, and convicted on all counts and sentenced to life without parole in 2001...
.
Wadih el-Hage is alleged to have been a personal aide to Osama bin Laden, who was convicted of involvement in the American Embassy Bombings.
Sayadi claimed that El-Hage had approached the foundation about funding a malaria abatement program in Africa, which was refused as it was out of the foundation's scope. Sayadi maintains that any contact with El-Hage was "absolutely innocent."
Haddad was arrested by the INS
Immigration and Naturalization Service
The United States Immigration and Naturalization Service , now referred to as Legacy INS, ceased to exist under that name on March 1, 2003, when most of its functions were transferred from the Department of Justice to three new components within the newly created Department of Homeland Security, as...
on immigration charges when the group's offices were raided, and later deported to Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
Lawyers representing the organisation accused the US government of a 'disregard for civil rights and constitutional rights' in the wake of 9/11 and believed the connection between Global Relief and terrorism to be 'weak', criticised the 'guilty by association' policy and the use of 'secret evidence rules' granted under the Patriot Act.
Supports of the foundation claimed that it was unfairly targeted, denied due process and closed before any evidence linking it to terrorism had been produced.
According to the Treasury Department, GRF helped fund a number of al Qaeda-sponsored activities, including bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania
1998 United States embassy bombings
The 1998 United States embassy bombings were a series of attacks that occurred on August 7, 1998, in which hundreds of people were killed in simultaneous truck bomb explosions at the United States embassies in the East African capitals of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya. The date of the...
and armed action against groups perceived to be un-Islamic.
Global Relief sued the Treasury Department for release of its assets in January 2002.
On December 31, 2002, the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals declined to reverse the Treasury seizure
Lawyers for Global Relief sued a number of news organizations for libel for publishing FBI and Justice Department charges.
The suit was dismissed by the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals on December 1, 2004. The court's opinion stated that "All of the reports were either true or substantially true recitations of the government's suspicions about and actions against GRF."
Further reading
- Hawala. An Informal Payment System and Its Use to Finance Terrorism by Sebastian R. Müller (Dec. 2006), ISBN: ISBN 3865506569, ISBN 978-3865506566
- Gill Donovan (Feb 15, 2002), Muslim Charity challenges Bush on Frozen assets, National Catholic Reporter
- "Supreme Court urged not to intervene in Times case - telephone records of Judith Miller and Philip Shenon"