U.S. Muslims express concern over freezing of assets of Muslim relief organizations

(Los Angeles, CA - 12/26/2001) - American Muslim Political Coordination Council (AMPCC) Chairman Dr. Maher Hathout apprised the Muslim community of actions being taken in response to freezing of assets of Muslim relief organizations.

AMPCC is comprised of the heads of all the major Muslim Political organizations

Dr. Hathout indicated that AMPCC issued a statement and also sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice highlighting the following important issues:

1. As donors, members of the American Muslim Community need to be sure that their money was dispersed in the intended way. That is why members of the American Muslim ask for full disclosure of the financial transactions of such organizations.

2. Members of the Muslim Community ask our government to identify a third neutral but credit-worthy party, a Muslim organization, to take charge of the funds and disperse them to the intended poor and orphan children and families as was intended in the first place.

3. Members of the American Muslim Community urge the government to use the due process and the courts of law, not the court of media, to litigate any illegal conduct perpetrated by such organizations.

4. The American Muslim Community, represented by The AMPCC, are urged to take steps to establish alliances with civil liberties organizations and leaders of other faiths in order to seek their support in these difficult times.

Actions:

E-mail - Attorney General, John Ashcroft, at [email protected] (with a copy to [email protected])

Phone - Attorney General at 202-514-2001

Alternate Phone - Office of the Attorney General 202-353-1555

Snail-Mail  -  Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20530-0001.

You may write one letter (see below) and get signatures from community or family members and send a collective letter. Please try to mail a photocopy to The President, AMPCC, Care of MPAC, 3010 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 217, Los Angeles, California 90010.

TIPS & Suggestions:

1. Please remember to copy your emails to [email protected]. This will help AMPCC representatives to take your concerns to the Department of Justice. Each email is important. Do not think that it will not make a difference!
2. If you prefer to call, be polite but be firm. Give your name, city you are calling from and then record your concerns without demanding answers.
3. Launch a signature campaign in your community.  Write a letter using the sample or write your own, enlarge a copy, post it on your Masjid bulletin board to let everyone know the content and then seek signatures from your community members. Make sure, you mail a copy to AMPCC at the above address.
4. Participate in IslamiCity Discussion Board/Readers' opinions and record your phone call experience and share your knowledge with others.
5. Invite your colleagues and friends to participate in this discussion for educational purposes. Guide them to the Discussion Forum at IslamiCity.

Sample Letter:

Attorney General
United States Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW,
Washington, DC 20530-0001,
U.S.A.

Dated:

Respected Attorney General,

We greet you with the universal greeting of Islam, Assalamu Alaykum (Peace be onto you).

We appreciate the support you have given the Muslim community in containing the backlash in the aftermath of the tragedy of 9/11.

Re: the freezing of accounts of Muslim Relief Agencies (Holy Land Foundation, Global Relief Foundation and Benevolence International Foundation) we ask that you use your good offices for the following.

1. That, our government, with the help of American Muslim Political Coordination Committee, to identify another Muslim organization to take charge of the (frozen) funds and disperse them to the intended poor and orphan children and families as was intended in the first place.

2. That, we urge our government to use the due process and the courts of law, not the court of media, to litigate any illegal conduct perpetrated by such organizations, when proven guilty beyond reason of doubt.

We hope and pray that your office shall serve justice as it should be served.

Sincerely.