July 03, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Sani 28, 1429

WASHINGTON, July 2: The United States on Wednesday put more than a dozen Pakistan-based NGOs on its list of terrorist outfits, saying they were created to raise funds for two groups already banned by the US government and the United Nations.

The US Department of the Treasury identified the two parent groups as Al Rashid and Al Akhtar Trust International and said that more than a dozen NGOs banned on Wednesday were “operating in an apparent effort to circumvent sanctions imposed by the United States and the United Nations”.

All these NGOs have now been added to the department’s list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists.

“We are very concerned about designated entities reconstituting themselves under new names in attempts to circumvent sanctions and continue funnelling money to terrorist activities,” said Adam J. Szubin, Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Al Rashid Trust was designated a global terrorist outfit on Sept 23, 2001 and was added to the UN list of individuals and entities associated with Osama bin Laden, Al Qaeda or the Taliban on April 24, 2002.

As of mid-2007, Al Rashid Trust was operating under the name Al Amin Welfare Trust and about half a dozen other names listed by the US Treasury.

Al Akhtar Trust International was designated a terrorist organisation on Oct 14, 2003, and was added to the UN list on August 17, 2005.

As of July 2007, Al Akhtar Trust International was using the name Pakistan Relief Foundation and various other names included in the US list.

As of May 2007, Pakistan Relief Foundation had taken over all assets of Al Akhtar Trust its senior leaders had begun working on behalf of Pakistan Relief Foundation.

Assets these organisations hold under US jurisdiction are frozen and US persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions in property or interests in property blocked under the order.