TORONTO — A Muslim relief
organization accused by federal auditors of sending almost $15-million
to the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas has been raided by police, who
seized an "extensive amount" of evidence, the RCMP said Tuesday.
Integrated National Security Enforcement Teams searched the head office of the International Relief Fund for the Afflicted and Needy Canada in Mississauga, Ont., as well as a private residence in Montreal.
"We are determined to stop Canadian funds from getting in the hands of terrorist groups," said RCMP Assistant Commissioner James Malizia. "We continue to work diligently with our partners to investigate and disrupt organizations from misusing charitable donations to find terrorist activity."
A non-profit group that worked mostly in Muslim countries, IRFAN-Canada lost its charity status in 2011 after Canada Revenue Agency auditors called it an "integral part" of an international fundraising effort that supported Hamas.
Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney said Tuesday that IRFAN-Canada had "for many years" funded Hamas. "The well intentioned and charitable Canadians who sought to support humanitarian relief through this organization deserve better."
The minister made the comments as he announced the relief group had been placed on Canada's list of proscribed terrorist entities. The designation makes it a crime to knowingly have any dealings with IRFAN-Canada's property or finances.
In Canada, it has been illegal to finance Hamas since 2002. But federal auditors claim that between 2005 and 2009, IRFAN-Canada provided over $14.6-million to "operating partners that were run by officials of Hamas, openly supported and provided funding to Hamas, or have been listed by various jurisdictions because of their support for Hamas or other terrorist entities."
In addition, the CRA said it had found IRFAN-Canada videos at the group's Mississauga office that "demonize Israel, characterize the Arab-Israeli conflict as a religious war, appeal for all Arab and Muslim nations to join in the struggle against Israel and glorify martyrdom."
IRFAN-Canada could not be reached for comment but Ottawa lawyer Yavar Hameed said there was no evidence the group had directly financed Hamas. He questioned the timing of the government's decision, saying it came just as the Federal Court of Appeal was to hear arguments about the revocation of IRFAN's charity status.
"On its face, we believe it is an unfair and unconstitutional decision," Mr. Hameed said. He called it a "nail in the coffin" for Canadian humanitarian support for Palestinians, and wondered whether the decision was politically motivated.
Liberal leader Justice Trudeau was recently criticized for agreeing to speak an Islamic conference in Toronto that was sponsored by IRFAN-Canada. The relief group eventually withdrew as a "diamond sponsor" of the event.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs commended the government for taking action. "All Canadians should be alarmed that millions of dollars were raised in Canada to support a foreign terrorist group with a long record of suicide bombings and other attacks against civilians," said David Koschitzky, the CIJA chair.
Integrated National Security Enforcement Teams searched the head office of the International Relief Fund for the Afflicted and Needy Canada in Mississauga, Ont., as well as a private residence in Montreal.
"We are determined to stop Canadian funds from getting in the hands of terrorist groups," said RCMP Assistant Commissioner James Malizia. "We continue to work diligently with our partners to investigate and disrupt organizations from misusing charitable donations to find terrorist activity."
A non-profit group that worked mostly in Muslim countries, IRFAN-Canada lost its charity status in 2011 after Canada Revenue Agency auditors called it an "integral part" of an international fundraising effort that supported Hamas.
Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney said Tuesday that IRFAN-Canada had "for many years" funded Hamas. "The well intentioned and charitable Canadians who sought to support humanitarian relief through this organization deserve better."
The minister made the comments as he announced the relief group had been placed on Canada's list of proscribed terrorist entities. The designation makes it a crime to knowingly have any dealings with IRFAN-Canada's property or finances.
In Canada, it has been illegal to finance Hamas since 2002. But federal auditors claim that between 2005 and 2009, IRFAN-Canada provided over $14.6-million to "operating partners that were run by officials of Hamas, openly supported and provided funding to Hamas, or have been listed by various jurisdictions because of their support for Hamas or other terrorist entities."
In addition, the CRA said it had found IRFAN-Canada videos at the group's Mississauga office that "demonize Israel, characterize the Arab-Israeli conflict as a religious war, appeal for all Arab and Muslim nations to join in the struggle against Israel and glorify martyrdom."
IRFAN-Canada could not be reached for comment but Ottawa lawyer Yavar Hameed said there was no evidence the group had directly financed Hamas. He questioned the timing of the government's decision, saying it came just as the Federal Court of Appeal was to hear arguments about the revocation of IRFAN's charity status.
"On its face, we believe it is an unfair and unconstitutional decision," Mr. Hameed said. He called it a "nail in the coffin" for Canadian humanitarian support for Palestinians, and wondered whether the decision was politically motivated.
Liberal leader Justice Trudeau was recently criticized for agreeing to speak an Islamic conference in Toronto that was sponsored by IRFAN-Canada. The relief group eventually withdrew as a "diamond sponsor" of the event.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs commended the government for taking action. "All Canadians should be alarmed that millions of dollars were raised in Canada to support a foreign terrorist group with a long record of suicide bombings and other attacks against civilians," said David Koschitzky, the CIJA chair.
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