Washington, D.C. -
One of the founding members of an umbrella organization pressing for a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage is under investigation for possible links to terrorism.
The Islamic Society of North America, part of the Alliance for Marriage, is one of several Muslim groups under a congressional investigation into alleged ties between tax-exempt organizations and terrorist groups.
The Alliance for Marriage describes itself as a bipartisan organization with membership comprising political and religious leaders.
Late last year Marc Gellman, an Orthodox rabbi and syndicated columnist resigned from the AFM advisory board because of the Islamic Society's involvement with the group.
"My moral conscience cannot allow me to be associated with an organization, ISNA, that terrorist experts like Steve Emerson, whom I respect greatly, consider a front for Hamas and other hateful terrorist groups," Gellman said in a statement at the time. Several Orthodox groups have also threatened to pull out of AFA as well.
The Senate Finance Committee has asked the Internal Revenue Service to turn over confidential tax and financial records, including ISNA donor lists.
The Senate-led probe follows more than two years of investigations by the FBI, the Treasury Department and other federal agencies into the activities of Islamic charities suspected of having ties to al Qaeda, Hamas, and other groups designated as terrorist organizations by the U.S. government.
The United States has frozen more than $136 million in assets allegedly linked to al Qaeda or other terrorist groups and has effectively shut down the operations of the largest U.S.-based Islamic charities.
"Government officials, investigations by federal agencies and the Congress and other reports have identified the crucial role that charities and foundations play in terror financing," the committee's leaders, Chairman Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) and ranking Democratic member Max Baucus (Mont.), wrote in a letter to the IRS.
"We have a responsibility to carry out oversight to ensure charities, foundations and other groups are abiding by the laws and regulations, to examine their source of funds, and to ensure government agencies, including the IRS, are policing them and enforcing the law efficiently and effectively."
by Doreen Brandt
365Gay.com Newscenter
Washington Bureau
©365Gay.com® 2004
The Islamic Society of North America, part of the Alliance for Marriage, is one of several Muslim groups under a congressional investigation into alleged ties between tax-exempt organizations and terrorist groups.
The Alliance for Marriage describes itself as a bipartisan organization with membership comprising political and religious leaders.
Late last year Marc Gellman, an Orthodox rabbi and syndicated columnist resigned from the AFM advisory board because of the Islamic Society's involvement with the group.
"My moral conscience cannot allow me to be associated with an organization, ISNA, that terrorist experts like Steve Emerson, whom I respect greatly, consider a front for Hamas and other hateful terrorist groups," Gellman said in a statement at the time. Several Orthodox groups have also threatened to pull out of AFA as well.
The Senate Finance Committee has asked the Internal Revenue Service to turn over confidential tax and financial records, including ISNA donor lists.
The Senate-led probe follows more than two years of investigations by the FBI, the Treasury Department and other federal agencies into the activities of Islamic charities suspected of having ties to al Qaeda, Hamas, and other groups designated as terrorist organizations by the U.S. government.
The United States has frozen more than $136 million in assets allegedly linked to al Qaeda or other terrorist groups and has effectively shut down the operations of the largest U.S.-based Islamic charities.
"Government officials, investigations by federal agencies and the Congress and other reports have identified the crucial role that charities and foundations play in terror financing," the committee's leaders, Chairman Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) and ranking Democratic member Max Baucus (Mont.), wrote in a letter to the IRS.
"We have a responsibility to carry out oversight to ensure charities, foundations and other groups are abiding by the laws and regulations, to examine their source of funds, and to ensure government agencies, including the IRS, are policing them and enforcing the law efficiently and effectively."
by Doreen Brandt
365Gay.com Newscenter
Washington Bureau
©365Gay.com® 2004
This article originally appeared on 365gay.com. Republished with permission.
