This isn't Mr. Roger's neighborhood, kids
UNICEF works with terror-linked Islamics on children's rights
June 13, 2008
© 2008 WorldNetDaily
worldnetdaily.com
The United Nations Children's Fund has announced an agreement with an organization linked by the U.S. government to al-Qaida and the Taliban to work to improve services to children in Saudi Arabia.
The announcement from UNICEF this week confirmed a new memorandum of understanding with the International Islamic Relief Organization "to strengthen cooperation and support for children's rights, health, equality and protection in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other countries."
The U.S. Treasury Department, however, identifies the IIRO as a group with one leader who "provided donor funds directly to al-Qaida and is identified as a major fundraiser for the Abu Sayyaf (ASG) and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) (terror organizations)."
A leader, Adb Al Hamid Sulaimian Al-Mujil, often directs funds be transferred to the IIRO organizations blamed by the government for terrorism, including training al-Qaida operatives, in the Philippines and Indonesia, the report said.
"The partnership with IIROSA is in-line with UNICEF's policy that encourages the exchange of expertise and experiences regionally and internationally; and to collaborate and join forces as part of the Millennium Development Goals," said Ayman Abu Laban, who is the UNICEF representative for the region.
"Building partnerships with leading organizations like the International Relief organization is the result of our trust in their continuous and effective efforts to protect and secure a better future for children," he said.
The agreement with the U.N. calls for "effective contribution to poverty reduction by providing infant, child and maternal care at the family, community, service-provider and policy levels" as well as "quality education" and "services for vulnerable and orphaned children from HIV and AIDS."
"Both organizations are committed to protecting children from violence, exploitation and abuse by advocating for children rights within all sectors of society and government," the U.N. said.
UNICEF, which operates in 150 nations and territories, runs on the donated money from the world's governments, including the United States.
The U.S. government calls al-Mujil, the executive director of the IIRO Eastern Province branch office in Saudi Arabia, "the 'million dollar man' for supporting Islamic militant groups."
The report says he provided money to al-Qaida and raised funds for Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah, both "al-Qaida-associated terrorist group in Southeast Asia."
The IIRO was set up in 1978, according to its website, and boasts branch offices in nearly two dozen nations in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
The Treasury report said al-Mujil in 2004 "invited a Philippines-based JI supporter to Saudi Arabia under the cover of traveling for the hajj (the Muslim pilgrimage), and planned to provide him with cash to carry back to the Philippines to support organizations including JI."
"These terrorist groups are also on the United Nations 1267 Committee's consolidated list of individuals and entities associated with the Taliban, al-Qaida and/or Osama bin Laden," the U.S. report said.
The report also confirms al-Mujil "personally knew" bin Laden and also "established a relationship with senior al-Qaida operational planner Khalid Sheihk Muhammad," suspected in the 9/11 attacks on America.
The U.N. announcement came from Zeina Habib, the communication and partnerships officer for UNICEF.
A report from Fox described IIRO as "a Saudi charity of massive scope" and said the Philippines division of the East Asia organizations feared as terror groups "was founded by Osama bin Laden's brother-in-law, Muhammad Jamal Khalifah."
The United Nations has called for asset freeze, arms embargo and travel ban actions against the organizations.
New York City in the moments after the Sept. 11. 2001, attack led mostly by Saudi nationals
Chris de Bono, UNICEF's chief of media, told Fox, "UNICEF does not and will not engage with" the East Asian divisions and its "partnership" is with the Saudi branch only.
"We are monitoring the situation closely, but we also understand the difference between the IIRO main headquarters and its branches," Carolyn Vadino, of the U.S. mission to the U.N., told FOX News in an e-mail.
"It is the two branches in question that are designated and have ties to terrorists and at this time we have been assured that they are separate entities," Vadino wrote.
Critics told FOX they were unconvinced.
"We have to look a lot harder at whether or not an organization that's headquartered in one country is really disconnected from operations which bear the same name in other countries and are referred to as branches," Anne Bayefsky, senior editor of Eye on the U.N., a watchdog group, told FOX.
FOX reported that the IIRO's Indonesia branch was discovered still to be operating despite being on the U.N.'s own terror list.
The U.S. government has concerns because 15 of the 19 attackers on Sept. 11, 2001, were from Saudi Arabia. |
