CAIRO — When Mushir Hassan received a letter from a charity seeking funds to aid refugees in Pakistan's Swat Valley, he wanted to give. But in the end, the US Muslim physician could not bring himself to write a check, fearing that he could be hounded or even prosecuted.
"You have to think twice because of the concerns," Hassan, from Milwaukee city, Wisconsin, told the Journal Sentinel on Monday, September 14.
Hassan is not alone.
Many American Muslims still alter their charitable giving for fear that they might fall under scrutiny and become targets for prosecution over aiding terrorism.
As Muslims observe the holy month of Ramadan - a peak period for giving – many are keen to donate Zakat, a central tenet of Islam, which requires those who can to give 2.5 percent of their annual savings to others in need.
But the fear of crackdown inhibits Muslims' spiritual expression and sows fear among donors who have no interest in funding terrorists.
"What we're finding is that many people are terrified to give to a Muslim organization or relief group," Corey Saylor, national legislative director for the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), said.
"They've seen this process time and again, of these charities coming under government scrutiny.
“Community members don't want to get caught up in that."
Since the 9/11 attacks, US authorities have placed Muslim charities under the microscope on claims of channeling funds to terrorists.
The intense pressures have forced many charities to stop transferring needed aid to orphanages in Muslim countries in order to keep operating at home.
A recent report by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) found that the so-called war on terror dealt a harsh blow to Muslim charities and left them mistakenly subject to targeting, abuse and intimidation.
In his keynote speech to Muslim world on June 4, President Barack Obama has acknowledged wrongful practices against Muslim charities and vowed a review to some anti-terror laws.
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