The Niqabi Paralegal

The Crime of Being a Muslim Charity

Originally published in the Washington Post The Crime of Being a Muslim Charity By Laila al-Marayati and Basil Abdelkarim Sunday, March 12, 2006; Page B07

NSA spying and Islamic charities

In an interesting twist, the NSA spying story intersects with the ongoing saga of Islamic charities. The Mail Tribune reports that the NSA was eavesdropping on privileged communications between Al-Haramain and its attorneys. The Washington Post then admitted that it had known about this since 2004 but agreed not to do anything (and they say we don't have a state-controlled media in this country). Some useful commentary from Loaded Orygun and Orcinus

U.S. Muslims seek Treasury meeting on charities

Another story about Islamic charities. Originally published by Reuters U.S. Muslims seek Treasury meeting on charities 01 Mar 2006 02:03:00 GMT Source: Reuters

can Muslims always get a fair trial?

Here's an article that's very pertinent to the theme of this blog: Islam Put on Trial in Terrorism Cases, U.S. Muslims Say. Highlights:

"For a growing number of legal scholars and Islamic community leaders concerned about American courts discriminating against Muslims, al-Timimi's case is a harbinger of how Muslim believers are becoming the target of a new emerging kind of civil rights discrimination," says Jess Ghannam, former president of the Arab-American Anti-Defamation League in San Francisco. This kind of discrimination, Ghannam says, also occurred in the case of Sami Al-Arian, a Florida professor indicted in Tampa, along with three codefendants, on 51 counts of conspiring to finance the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad. Ghannam says the trial, now in the deliberation phase, is based mostly on circumstantial evidence. As with al-Timimi, he says, the defendants' religious beliefs have become a matter of debate. Julie Howe, a New York-based jury consultant who's been active with the Death Penalty Project, agrees with Ghannam. "I think that there's a religious prejudice out there against Muslims," Howe said in a recent interview with a legal journal. "Some jurors are inclined to believe that Muslims are predisposed to violence."

I recommend you to read the whole thing. BTW, I really will try to post to this blog more often, inshallah, at least with news stories if not the in-depth legal analysis that I started with.

U.S. Muslim Groups Cleared: Senate Panel Finds Nothing 'Alarming' in Financial Data

Since the question of Muslim organizations, especially charities, and financing of terrorism is a topic I've covered here before, I thought it would be worthwhile to post this. See also excellent commentary at Undoing A Character Assassination. Originally published by the Washington Post U.S. Muslim Groups Cleared Senate Panel Finds Nothing 'Alarming' in Financial Data By Mary Beth Sheridan Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, November 19, 2005; Page A12

Judge Bars Terror Evidence Against Sheik

Following up on Informant who set himself on fire figured in at least three terror probes, a news update from the New York Times: Judge Bars Terror Evidence Against Sheik By WILLIAM GLABERSON Published: January 26, 2005

Islamic charity groups to appeal

Another follow-up on the story of the Islamic charities ordered to pay damages to a victim of terrorism Groups to appeal Published: Thursday, December 9, 2004

another story on Muslim charities

Originally published by the BBC US family sues 'Hamas-linked' charities By Catherine Miller BBC News, Chicago

14 arrested in raids by terror task force

I'm tracking this one since it's local. Originally published in the Seattle P-I Friday, November 19, 2004 14 arrested in raids by terror task force Seattle suspects' links to al-Qaida or other groups are uncertain By PAUL SHUKOVSKY SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

Informant who set himself on fire figured in at least three terror probes

Back in February, I posted on the trial of Numan Maflahi, a curious case involving Yemeni charities alleged to be funding terrorism. Now comes a curious story related to that case. Originally published in Newsday Informant who set himself on fire figured in at least three terror probes By MICHAEL WEISSENSTEIN Associated Press Writer November 17, 2004, 6:55 PM EST