U.S. Islamist Groups Gain from the War on Terror

Domestic American Islamist organizations have seen a surge in funding as a ironic result of the shutting-down of Islamist "charities" which send money to the global jihad, notes Teresa Watanabe of the Los Angeles Times. Since 9/11, Washington has designated 27 international Islamic groups as supporters of terrorism, including 5 within the United States. Not being able to fund these groups anymore, American Muslims have instead directed more money toward purely domestic organizations. Watanabe documents how at least two domestic Islamist groups have surged: the budget of the Council on American-Islamic Relations' southern California office has grown from $300,000 in 2000 to $1.1 million in 2003, with its staff growing from two to eight; and the Islamic Society of North America has enjoyed a 50 percent growth of income since 9/11.

Comment: This unintended consequence quite perfectly captures the dilemma of the "war on terror," namely that it is as much a domestic as a foreign threat, and that Western societies find themselves ill-prepared for the former. (November 6, 2004)

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