FOCA Responds to Raid on Charity Office

Washington, DC - The Friends of Charity Association (FOCA), composed of leading Islamic charities committed to dialogue with the US government, opinion leaders and the media, expresses its alarm at the raid without a warrant and arrest of a volunteer for the US headquarters of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth, a Saudi-based organization dedicated to explaining Islam. The volunteer, Dr. Ibrahim Abdullah, was arrested Friday, May 28 on the pretext of questionable immigration charges. As a member of FOCA, WAMY is committed to compliance with all local and federal laws and has pledged unfailing cooperation in the war on terror in all its faces and forms.

“We find it troubling that a volunteer for a group whose officers welcome the scrutiny of the government and media is subject to a raid without either consent or a warrant,” stated FOCA spokesman Wendell Belew. “WAMY has consistently and regularly expressed its invitation to law enforcement to visit not only its US-based office, but its headquarters and any branch office world-wide, and to treat someone associated with its good works in such a manner is mind-boggling,” he added.

After this episode, FOCA hopes the government will realize that constructive engagement will yield more valuable information and goodwill than a Friday afternoon raid and arrest of an innocent man. Given the tight resources for fighting the war on terrorism, such action is a tremendous waste. Dr. Abdullah lived peacefully and legally for eight years as a foreign student and was to return to his native Saudi Arabia this weekend. The Government has established a pattern of targeting Muslim foreign nationals for removal in immigration proceedings. Dr. Abdullah should be a goodwill ambassador; however, the Government wants to force Dr. Abdullah out of the country on baseless immigration charges preventing him from returning. Specifically, the government falsely asserts that Dr. Abdullah was employed by WAMY while on a student visa, a status he scrupulously maintained. He did not violate any immigration laws through his volunteer work in the Muslim community, and seeks to clear his name.

Dr. Abdullah did not need compensation from WAMY. He donated his time to WAMY to help needy children from around the world. During his studies in the US, Dr. Abdullah has been financially sponsored by his university in Saudi Arabia. Dr. Abdullah is a respectable scholar, a peaceful individual and a model citizen. He teaches tolerance and understanding between nations. The Government arrested him absent any evidence of the commission of any crime, searched his home without a warrant and intimidated his children and wife without justification. This pattern and practice of systematic human and civil rights violations further hurts our credibility among civilized nations.

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