THE South African non-profit organisation accused by the US of funding terrorists is calling on the government for help.
The Al Aqsa Foundation of SA claimed it was unable to access all its funds in its FNB and Al Baraka Bank accounts because it had been "dubiously" added to the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control list.
FNB gave the foundation until March to get off the list or it would close the account, but foundation spokeswoman Melissa Hoole said getting off the list would be expensive and could take up to 10 years. Hoole said the non-profit organisation was registered with the Department of Social Development.
After FNB contacted the foundation, it opened an account with Al Baraka Bank in December. Soon thereafter it, too, froze the account. Hoole claimed Al Baraka had since agreed to allow some activity in the account. – Nashira Davids
