From an ACLU press release:

U.S. terrorism finance laws and policies unfairly prevent Muslim Americans from practicing their religion through charitable giving, create a climate of fear and distrust in law enforcement and undermine America’s diplomatic efforts in Muslim countries, according to an American Civil Liberties Union report out today. The 164-page report, “Blocking Faith, Freezing Charity,” is the first comprehensive report that documents the serious effects of Bush administration terrorism finance laws on Muslim communities across the nation.

…According to the report, for which the ACLU conducted 120 interviews with Muslim community leaders and donors in several states, federal law enforcement agents are engaging in practices that intimidate Muslim American donors, such as widespread interviews about their donations and surveillance of donations at mosques. Those interviewed say the government’s actions have a chilling effect on Muslim charitable giving, or Zakat, one of the five pillars of Islam and a religious obligation for all observant Muslims.

So they went around and interviewed Muslims.  Talk about missing the forest for the trees.  Did they make an effort to determine if the charities involved were actually connected to terrorism?  Given the degree to which we know many of these charities are compromised, ignoring that in this report is completely negligent.  It’s one thing if they showed a negative impact on groups acknowledged by all not to be involved in terrorism, but it doesn’t appear they made any such effort to look at that distinction.  They are, as usual, content to do as much damage as possible to our defensive measures.

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