March 10, 2002	Sunday	Zilhaj 25, 1422

WASHINGTON: A US-based Muslim charity whose assets were frozen by the federal government filed a federal lawsuit on Friday demanding that millions of dollars in donations be released.

The Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development sued the Justice Department, Treasury Department and State Department in US District Court here seeking immediate relief from the asset freeze.

The group, based in Richardson, Texas, said the government violated its constitutional rights on Dec. 4 by putting a hold on millions of dollars in donations, and seizing computers, files and furniture from its offices in Texas, California, New Jersey and Illinois.

The government took action because of its alleged support of the militant movement Hamas in the Middle East.

The group alleged in its legal brief that some of the information US authorities used to freeze the assets was gathered by Israeli police officers who used “physical and psychological torture and other forms of extreme physical and psychological coercion” of suspected Hamas members.

The asset freeze, the group said in its lawsuit, could ruin the charitable organization, and occurred “without notice, without a hearing, without a warrant, without probable cause, without statutory authority, and without any rational basis.”

“They took everything,” said lawyer Nancy Hollander of the raids by FBI agents. “I believe that (the foundation is) being unfairly targeted; Holy Land is an American charitable foundation that works to foster peace and opposes terrorism. And many of the donors to Holy Land are giving in accordance with their religion.”

Hollander said Holy Land has provided charitable aid “all over the world, including in the United States.”

Federal authorities had no comment Friday, saying they could not discuss the issue because of the lawsuit and the ongoing enforcement action.

In announcing the order Dec. 4, President Bush charged that Holy Land used its tax-exempt status to raise $13 million last year, much of which, he said, ultimately went to Hamas terrorists. Bush called Hamas one of the deadliest terrorist organizations in the world, citing what he said were the groups’ own claims of responsibility for suicide bombings in Israel that killed 28 people in the days before the asset freeze.

Treasury officials at the time said a wealth of evidence had shown links between Hamas and Holy Land.

“This is not a case of one bad actor stealing from the petty-cash drawer and giving the stolen money to terrorists,” said Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill, who was named in the lawsuit. “This organization exists to raise money in the US to promote terror.”

Holy Land officials have steadfastly denied any links to terrorist organizations.

The prominent charity raised $207,000 at a 1995 Los Angeles event at which the keynote speaker exhorted the crowd to “Finish off the Israelis. Kill them all,” according to an FBI memo signed by Dale L. Watson, the FBI assistant director of counter-terrorism. US authorities used the 49-page FBI document to support the enforcement action. —Dawn/LAT-WP News Service (c) Los Angeles Times