New Delhi: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded an America-based organisation with alleged links to the charitable and political arms of the terrorist organisation Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), despite calls for review.
In October 2021, USAID awarded $110,000 to Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD), a US-based humanitarian organisation.
The funding was given despite allegations raised by three Members of Congress in November 2019 of links between HHRD and terrorist organisations in Pakistan.
In 2017, a conference in Timergara, Khyber Paktunkhwa, was organised by the HHRD on World Disability Day, which featured speakers from the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) and the Milli Muslim League (MML)—the charitable and political arms of the JuD respectively. Incidentally, the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), believed to be behind the Mumbai terror attacks, is the militant arm of the JuD.
FIF was sanctioned by the US government in 2010 for its affiliation, while MML was sanctioned by the American administration in 2018 for the same reason.
Despite publicly-available data tying HHRD to activities with the FIF and MML, the US-based charity received $110,000 in 2021 and a further $78,000 in 2023 from USAID.
The independent agency of the US government has come under intense scrutiny recently following President Donald Trump’s freeze over its funding and review of its entire operations.
The perpetrators of the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai—which left 166 people dead, apart from nine of the 10 attackers—were from the LeT. The only one captured, Ajmal Kasab, was convicted and hanged in 2012. The founder of the organisation Hafiz Saeed is one of New Delhi’s most-wanted terrorists.
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USAID warned by US lawmakers over HHRD
The agency manages close to $50 billion in resources, as a part of America’s global economic aid footprint. USAID funds organisations across the world, including those carrying out primary healthcare projects in various countries, as well as other kinds of charities.
However, the agency continued funding HHRD, despite public allegations levied by senior American lawmakers, including the then Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Michael McCaul in January 2023. The Republican from Texas demanded the suspension of grants to the Michigan-based charity.
In a letter to administrator Samantha Power, which was made public, McCaul said, “I am writing to express my deep concern that USAID received information from my office more than eight months ago regarding credible allegations that one of its grantees is associated with designated terrorist organizations, but the agency took no action. This award must immediately be suspended pending a full and thorough review of these accusations.”
“In October 2021, USAID awarded $110,000 to Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD) through the Ocean Freight Reimbursement Program. This award was made despite longstanding, detailed allegations that HHRD is connected to designated terrorist organizations, terror financiers, and extremist groups,” McCaul added.
HHRD, based in Michigan, was founded in 2005 and as per its 2023 annual report, has had a footprint across 63 countries, including Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
The HHRD advertises its partnerships with international organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), World Food Programme (WFP) and the USAID in its reports.
“Please immediately personally review this grant to HHRD. I strongly urge you to pause this grant while you complete a thorough review of the allegations, to include coordination with the intelligence community, federal law enforcement, the State Department Counterterrorism Bureau, and the Department of Homeland Security,” said McCaul in the January 2023 letter.
However, despite the high-level intervention by US Congress lawmakers, USAID continued awarding funds to HHRD. In October 2023, the agency awarded the charity a further $78,000. The award at the time enraged Republican lawmakers, including incumbent Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to reports.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
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You are also funded by USAid. Come on, be honest for once.
The USAID was always a mischief maker. It helped and assisted terrorists and criminals as along as it suited the interests of the USA. It paid huge sums to media houses which spread pro-US propaganda in their respective nations.