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SUNNY Temp: 46 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Tuesday, September 30, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine Joy Magazine Tempo A & E RogueValleyAutoFinder RogueValleyHomeFinder Real Estate Showcase Wellness Connection Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Employment Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend September 18, 2003 Islamic charity scrutinized Ashland branch, headed by peace advocate, remains in business By DAMIAN MANN and JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune An international crackdown on an Islamic charitable organization with suspected links to terrorists has drawn media attention to its Ashland affiliate. But a U.S. Treasury Department spokesman says the local Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation has not been targeted for closure. "There has been no action against that branch from the Treasury," said Taylor Griffin, whose department is the lead agency in the government’s investigation into terrorist financing worldwide. Recent news accounts had suggested a link between the Ashland group, whose secretary is local peace advocate Pete Seda Ghaty, and other branches of the Saudi Arabian-based organization that have been shut down because they diverted funding to terrorist groups. Advertisement Taylor said he couldn’t discuss any investigations that may or may not be taking place regarding the Ashland group. A representative for the FBI also would neither confirm nor deny that any investigation is being conducted on the Ashland branch. But documents prepared by Medford accountant Tom Wilcox for the foundation were reportedly reviewed by federal agents recently to trace the source of funding. The U.S. government, working with Saudi Arabia, shut down two branches of Al-Haramain last year in Somalia and Bosnia-Herzegovina because they had diverted Al-Haramain funding to terrorist networks. More recently, the United States and Saudi Arabia shut down Al-Haramain branches in other areas, but not in Ashland. "We asked the Saudis to close down eight branches and this wasn’t one of them," said Griffin. Al-Haramain is an organization that provides private, charitable and educational funding to promote Islamic teaching throughout the world. It raises an estimated $30 million in contributions annually, according to a report by Al Jazeera television. Seda Ghaty, who was born in Iran but fled to the United States in the 1970s, was unavailable for comment Wednesday and is reportedly in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In previous interviews, Seda Ghaty has sharply denounced terrorism and said Osama Bin Laden "has destroyed the name of Islam." A Washington, D.C.-based attorney, representing Al-Haramain in a $1 trillion lawsuit filed by more than 4,000 people affected by the Sept. 11 attacks, also could not be reached for comment. In an interview with the Washington Times, Lynne Bernabei said the Ashland branch "is a separately incorporated group which is loosely affiliated with the Saudi group." The Ashland office of the Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation has not been the subject of state investigations or complaints, said Jan Margosian, spokeswoman for Attorney General Hardy Myers. However, the organization has not filed a two-page 2002 financial report due last May, so they are not in good standing with the state, she said. "They do need to do that," she said. Wilcox, a Medford certified public accountant representing the foundation, told the state that the filing was delayed because Seda Ghaty was out of the country. Any suspected link with terrorist organizations would be turned over to the FBI for investigation, Margosian said. The foundation is registered in Oregon as a domestic nonprofit with Seda Ghaty as the agent of record. He is also the secretary of the foundation, whose board of directors includes president Ageel Al-Ageel, treasurer Solimon H.S. Al-Buthe and vice president Mansuor Al-Kadi. For 2001, the most recent year on record, the foundation listed income on federal tax records as $102,084 in donations and assets of $633,022. The agency lists its mission as "members’ spiritual benefit" and adds that its most significant activity is the publication of books on Islamic issues. Prayer houses are located in Ashland and in Springfield, Mo. Ashland residents who know Seda Ghaty say he is a man of peace. Rabbi David Zaslow said it was "preposterous" that his friend of 12 years would somehow be linked to subversive groups. "He blasted terrorism," he said. Seda Ghaty spoke at least a dozen times before Zaslow’s congregation and has been an advocate for peace, said the Ashland rabbi. "He writes booklets on Islam and sends them to me for editing to see what is offensive," said Zaslow. It was well-known that the local Al-Haramain organization received its funding from Saudi Arabia, he said. Last year, Seda Ghaty told Zaslow that he wanted to use a $150,000 grant from Saudi Arabia for food and supplies that would be distributed to the poor in the West Bank of Israel. In his discussions with Seda Ghaty, Zaslow said, "He thought that he was making a statement for peace by taking Saudi Arabian charitable contributions and spending money in Israel to buy food and supplies and distribute it in the West Bank to needy Jewish and Christian and Muslim families." Zaslow said he was asked to accompany Seda Ghaty on the trip, but declined because he didn’t have the time. Seda Ghaty never went to Israel because of political complications, said the rabbi. Zaslow wrote a letter on July 26, 2002, to the Israeli government testifying to the humanitarian nature of the mission. In the letter, Zaslow stated, "I have known Pete for over a decade and can attest to his excellent work on behalf of the local Muslim-American community, and to the greater efforts on behalf of interfaith relations with the local Jewish community." Bill Gabriel, an Ashland High School social studies teacher whose students have visited Seda Ghaty’s rural worship site, said, "He’s a square guy, he’s straight up front." Gabriel, who has known Seda Ghaty for years and said he is passionate about his religion, said he would be surprised and disappointed if any terrorist ties were discovered. "It would break my heart and a lot of people’s hearts if it were true," he said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times