US bans Pak NGOs alleging they raised funds for terror outfits

Washington, July 3 (ANI): The US has reportedly put more than a dozen Pakistani NGOs on its list of terrorist outfits, alleging that they raised funds for two terrorist groups already banned in US government and the UN.

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 yesterday were "operating in an apparent effort to circumvent sanctions imposed by the US and the UN".

All these NGOs have now been added to the department's list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists, reported the Dawn.

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

According to the paper, the 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.

During mid-2007 Al Rashid Trust operated under the name Al Amin Welfare Trust and about half-a-dozen other names listed by the US Treasury.

Similarly, Al Akhtar Trust International was designated a terrorist organisation on Oct 14, 2003, and was added to the UN list on August 17, 2005, and in July 2007 it worked using the name Pakistan Relief Foundation and various other names included in the US list. (ANI)