This is a start by the Saudi government in putting a squeeze on terrorist organizations. Such steps must be carried out fully as well as additional ones if Saudi Arabia is serious about fighting terror, as many eyes will be on them.
…
“Every dollar that leaves Saudi Arabia now can be traced, and if we find linkage (to terrorists) … we will pursue it,” al-Jubeir said.
“We cannot allow our money to be used to murder our people, period.”
He said the government also now requires charities to undergo audits and has established a high commission to help them “put in place financial mechanisms and procedures so that people cannot take advantage of them.”
NOT A ‘CRACK DOWN ON CHARITY’
“We do this not to crack down on charity,” al-Jubeir said. “Quite the contrary. Charity is part of our faith. … Our desire is to ensure that the donors … are assured that the funds go to the purposes for which they are intended.”
In addition to seeking to ensure that money from the oil-rich kingdom doesn’t flow to terrorist groups such as al-Qaida, Saudi authorities have worked closely with U.S. officials to root out any terrorists and their supporters, he said.
Among other steps taken recently by Riyadh:
Crown Prince Abdullah recently set up his own domestic charity to cover poor areas of Riyadh, the Saudi capital.
Abdullah also asked the Saudi minister for social work to devise a new domestic charity for dealing with needs inside Saudi Arabia.
The royal family is instituting training programs in counterterrorism for banks, teaching bankers how to share intelligence with each other.
New banking rules will allow only residents or citizens of Saudi Arabia to open bank accounts there.
The Saudis are working with the G-7 nations on their recommendations for a financial action task force to review Saudi auditing. Inside Saudi Arabia, a task force is working on better counterterrorism enforcement. Its members include officials from the finance ministry, foreign ministry, law enforcement, intelligence agencies and the central bank.
The government is introducing classes on tracking terrorist financing and money laundering at the nation’s Banking Institute.
http://www.msnbc.com/news/842364.asp?0cv=CB10
This needs to be done. I mean I definitely dont want to give money to some charity thinking that its going to build a school and it winds up somewhere else. I received a mailer yesterday from a Michigan based charity, they put US approved, UN approved and a note of how the money only goes to projects they are directly involved in and know how the money is being used. Its kinda sad that they had to do this. If govts can ensure that charities are doing right it will take pressure of charities who have to justify themselves as well as people who now have to think twice before giving it to some charity.
I think the same sort of stuff needs to be done in US to prevent money going to extremist groups in pakistan like Sipah e Sahaba, RSS in india and IRA in the UK.
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*Originally posted by Fraudz: *
This needs to be done. I mean I definitely dont want to give money to some charity thinking that its going to build a school and it winds up somewhere else. I received a mailer yesterday from a Michigan based charity, they put US approved, UN approved and a note of how the money only goes to projects they are directly involved in and know how the money is being used. Its kinda sad that they had to do this. If govts can ensure that charities are doing right it will take pressure of charities who have to justify themselves as well as people who now have to think twice before giving it to some charity.
I think the same sort of stuff needs to be done in US to prevent money going to extremist groups in pakistan like Sipah e Sahaba, RSS in india and IRA in the UK.
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THis is not a novel concept. Most non-profits funded work this way. The problem was that cross border philanthropy had not gov't oversight other than taxation.
CH agreed. So monitoring of groups to figure out what are their hiden activities and where the money is landing is the type of oversight govt must do.
I know MQm raised funds in Us that were used in god knows what way. similarly groups like sipah e sahaba, RSS and IRA have recived funds from sources in US working in teh guise of cultural organizations. That should be stopped as well.
monitoring groups and keping tight control on them will dry up funding sources for these terrorist outfits.
Well until RSS starts ramming planes into buildings and openly declares war on America, I am not sure that would happen. IRA I can agree with.
well IRA has not declared a war on US either but is causing havoc in its country. same goes for the basque folks, and sipah e sahaba types.
If that is the criteria than I am all for shutting down the funding to RSS.