Source: The New York Times
On April 17, 2003 The New York Times reported that "a large mosque in Santa Clara, Calif., held a fund-raising event last Saturday for an Islamic charity that is raising money for food and medical supplies to send to Iraq. Attendance was strong, bolstered by American Muslims who watched the war on Middle Eastern satellite channels that replayed scenes of wounded Iraqis, thirsty children and looted hospitals... But organizers of the event said several wealthy donors privately told them that they were writing smaller checks than they would have liked, or were too afraid to contribute anything at all... With four American Muslim charities shut down by the government over accusations of ties to terrorist groups, and several prominent Muslim donors now indicted or detained, American Muslims say they are scared to do anything that might bring scrutiny from the Federal Bureau of Investigation - and that includes donating to Islamic charities."