Filipino Court Freezes Account of Saudi Charity Suspected of Serving Terrorists

A Philippine court has frozen the bank account of a Saudi Arabian charity suspected of being a conduit for terrorist funds, court officials said yesterday. Anti-money laundering officials suspect the International Islamic Relief Organisation (IRRO) is financing the activities of local affiliates of al-Qaeda, including Abu Sayyaf.

The Anti-Money Laundering Council, which is led by the central bank, described IRRO as one of Saudi Arabia's largest charitable organisations. The court freeze was sought by the U.S., which has accused IRRO of funding terrorist attacks in different countries including the September 11 attacks.