(New York Times) - Timothy L. O'Brien David Aufhauser, the Treasury Department's general counsel, disclosed during testimony Thursday before the Senate Banking Committee that Ageel al-Ageel, the founder of Al Haramain Charitable Foundation - a Saudi charity that has been accused by Western officials of sponsoring terrorism - is the subject of a criminal investigation by Saudi Arabia. Another person with direct knowledge of the investigation said the Saudis were also investigating several other directors of Al Haramain. American intelligence and law enforcement officials recently gave Saudi officials a detailed document outlining terrorism links to another major Saudi charity, the International Islamic Relief Organization. American officials have asked that the Saudi government close all of that group's overseas offices and that members of the Saudi royal family step down from its board. Aufhauser also criticized the British government for failing to take strong action against a British charity, the Palestinian Relief and Development Fund, even after American officials provided the British with definitive proof that it was financing the violent Palestinian group Hamas.
2003-09-26 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive