By Ilan Weinglass
Today's interconnected world makes it easy to spread the word about events and causes. Facebook, for example, allows any group to publicize events all over the world. For example, a U.K.- based group named Action Palestine is promoting the cause "I WILL DO SOMETHING TO STOP THE SLAUGHTER IN GAZA" with its own Facebook page.
Whatever one's political views on this cause, the cold fact is that Facebook is committing a serious violation of U.S. terror financing law by displaying this page. The page contains a solicitation for Interpal, which is a designated terrorist entity pursuant to Executive Order 13224. It is simply illegal to solicit for Interpal in the United States, although not illegal in Britain, where Interpal is registered.
In its August 22, 2003 designation of Interpal, the Treasury Department stated: Interpal, headquartered in the UK, has been a conduit through which money flows to HAMAS from other charities... Reporting indicates that Interpal is the fundraising coordinator of HAMAS. This role is of the type that includes supervising activities of charities, developing new charities in targeted areas, instructing how funds should be transferred from one charity to another, and even determining public relations policy.
I note that even being outside of the U.S. is not necessarily an excuse for supporting Interpal. NatWest Bank, subsequently acquired by Royal Bank of Scotland, is currently a defendant is several very serious lawsuits for maintaining an account for Interpal subsequent to Treasury's August 22, 2003 designation. There are many causes for jurisdiction, one of them being that any dollar transaction must be cleared through a U.S.-domiciled entity. Further information may be found at http://www.charityfinance.co.uk/home/content.php?id=512.
Facebook faces serious criminal penalties if it continues to display this page in the United States.
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