Islamic American Relief Agency

The Islamic American Relief Agency, commonly identified as IARA-USA, was a United States-based humanitarian nonprofit established in 1985 in Columbia, Missouri, by Sudanese residents concerned about humanitarian conditions in Sudan and elsewhere in Africa. Although founded by Muslims and associated with Islamic charitable networks, the organization stated that its services were intended for people in need regardless of nationality or religious identity. Its work extended beyond Africa to the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the Balkans, and communities in the United States. IARA-USA presented its mission around human dignity, self-reliance, social justice, and participatory development rather than short-term relief alone. Its principal activities included orphan sponsorship, health care, education, vocational training, water and sanitation projects, and community income-generation initiatives. Its orphan sponsorship program allowed donors to support children for approximately one dollar per day, with funds directed toward food, clothing, medical care, education, and other basic needs. The program operated in countries including Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Chad, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Mali, Pakistan, Somalia, Uganda, and Yemen. Health-related projects concentrated on communities affected by poverty and conflict. Programs included primary care, immunization, nutrition counseling, prenatal services, infectious-disease prevention, sanitary water provision, and support for medical and therapeutic facilities serving rape survivors. The organization also supported the training of health workers. Education and livelihoods were treated as core parts of development work, with assistance for schools, community education, teacher training, and vocational instruction in trades such as sewing, welding, and carpentry. Among the projects associated with IARA-USA were the Djindjini-Koire Community School in Mali and the Anwar Educational Center in Bosnia. The Mali project formed part of a broader effort to help local communities organize schools, train teachers, develop water systems, and create income-generating activities in the Timbuktu region. The Bosnian center, established in 1996, provided computer and language training, particularly for young women and demobilized soldiers facing post-war economic and social difficulties. The organization came under U.S. government scrutiny in 2004. The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control designated the Sudan-based Islamic African Relief Agency and five senior officials as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, alleging support for Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda, and the Taliban. In October of that year, IARA-USA offices were raided and its operations were shut down amid an FBI and Joint Terrorism Task Force investigation. In 2007, federal prosecutors charged IARA-USA and five associated individuals in a 33-count indictment concerning the transfer of approximately $1.4 million to Iraq during the period of U.S. sanctions. A superseding indictment in 2008 added allegations involving money laundering, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and conduct associated with former U.S. Representative Mark Deli Siljander. Several defendants later entered guilty pleas. In 2010, Ali Mohamed Bagegni, Mubarak Hamed, Siljander, and Abdel Azim El-Siddig each pleaded guilty to various offenses related to the Iraq transfers, lobbying, obstruction, or foreign-agent activity. During sentencing, the court stated that the case did not establish that IARA-USA had aided a terrorist organization or entity posing a threat to the United States. On July 20, 2016, IARA-USA itself pleaded guilty to transferring nearly $1.4 million to Iraq in violation of federal sanctions. Under the plea agreement, it agreed to dissolve permanently, and its board agreed not to establish a new corporation to continue the organization's former activities. The dissolution ended IARA-USA as an operating humanitarian organization.

The Islamic American Relief Agency was founded in 1985 in Columbia, Missouri, by Sudanese residents living in the United States who wanted to respond to humanitarian emergencies in Sudan and other parts of Africa. The organization later broadened its geographic scope to include countries in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the Balkans, and the United States. Its identity was rooted in Islamic charitable concern, but its stated service principle was non-discrimination: assistance was directed to people facing poverty, conflict, displacement, or inadequate access to basic services regardless of nationality. IARA-USA combined direct relief with participatory development. Its programs sought to give local communities a role in planning and operating projects, with long-term goals of self-reliance and durable social infrastructure. Orphan sponsorship was one of its most visible activities. Donors could sponsor children for about one dollar per day, helping provide food, clothing, medical care, schooling, and other necessities. The program served children in a broad group of countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Medical work addressed the effects of poverty and armed conflict. IARA-USA supported primary care, childhood immunization, nutrition counseling, prenatal care, disease prevention, and clean-water and sanitation initiatives. It also helped create medical and therapeutic services for rape survivors and supported training for health personnel. These efforts were reported as particularly active in Mali, Bangladesh, Somalia, and the Balkans. Education and employment training were integrated into the organization's development model. IARA-USA supported elementary and secondary education, community education, teacher training, and vocational instruction. Training subjects included sewing, welding, carpentry, computer skills, and languages. In Mali, the Djindjini-Koire Community School served 123 boys and 92 girls and formed part of a larger Community Education, Water, and Income Generation Project in the Timbuktu region. The broader initiative aimed to help residents organize schools, train teachers, build additional facilities, and improve local economic capacity. In Bosnia, the Anwar Educational Center was established in 1996 to support post-war recovery, particularly for young women and demobilized soldiers. Its computer and language courses were intended to improve employment prospects, economic independence, and confidence. The organization's public humanitarian profile was overshadowed by U.S. national-security and sanctions enforcement actions. In October 2004, the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control designated the Sudan-based Islamic African Relief Agency and five senior officials as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, alleging links to Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda, and the Taliban. Around the same period, IARA-USA offices were raided by authorities and its operations were shut down while the FBI and Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated. A federal grand jury in the Western District of Missouri returned a 33-count indictment in March 2007 against IARA-USA and five leaders or associates. The central allegations concerned the transfer of approximately $1.4 million to Iraq in violation of U.S. sanctions that had applied from 1990 to 2003. A superseding indictment in January 2008 added charges and allegations involving money laundering, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and former U.S. Representative Mark Deli Siljander. The later proceedings included guilty pleas by board member Ali Mohamed Bagegni, executive director Mubarak Hamed, Siljander, and former fundraiser Abdel Azim El-Siddig. Their pleas covered different combinations of sanctions violations, obstruction, unregistered foreign-agent activity, and related conduct. The prosecution did not result in a judicial finding that IARA-USA had aided a terrorist organization. During sentencing, Judge Nanette Laughrey stated that the case was not about somebody aiding a terrorist. Nevertheless, the organization ultimately accepted criminal responsibility for the sanctions violation. On July 20, 2016, IARA-USA pleaded guilty to transferring nearly $1.4 million to Iraq. As part of the agreement, it agreed to dissolve as a corporation permanently, and its board agreed not to establish a new corporation to continue its previous work. The dissolution ended the organization's operations and left its former humanitarian programs inactive.

• 2016

  Organization pleads guilty and dissolves

  [1]Islamic American Relief Agencyen.wikipedia.org

  IARA-USA pleaded guilty to violating Iraq sanctions and agreed to dissolve permanently rather than continue its former activities.

• 2010

  Associated defendants enter guilty pleas

  [1]Islamic American Relief Agencyen.wikipedia.org

  Multiple IARA-associated individuals pleaded guilty to offenses arising from the sanctions case and related conduct.

• 2008

  Superseding indictment filed

  [1]Islamic American Relief Agencyen.wikipedia.org

  Prosecutors added charges and allegations involving money laundering, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and conduct involving former Representative Mark Deli Siljander.

• 2007

  Federal indictment over Iraq transfers

  [1]Islamic American Relief Agencyen.wikipedia.org

  IARA-USA and five leaders or associates were charged in a 33-count indictment concerning the transfer of approximately $1.4 million to Iraq during the sanctions period.

• 2004

  Offices raided and operations shut down

  [1]Islamic American Relief Agencyen.wikipedia.org

  The organization came under FBI and Joint Terrorism Task Force scrutiny, and its offices were raided while its operations were shut down.

• 2004

  Treasury designation involving Sudan-based affiliate

  [1]Islamic American Relief Agencyen.wikipedia.org

  OFAC designated the Sudan-based Islamic African Relief Agency and five senior officials as Specially Designated Global Terrorists over alleged support for al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, and the Taliban.

• 1996

  Anwar Educational Center established in Bosnia

  [1]Islamic American Relief Agencyen.wikipedia.org

  IARA-USA established the Anwar Educational Center to support post-war recovery through computer and language training for young women, demobilized soldiers, and other affected residents.

• 1985

  Organization founded in Missouri

  [1]Islamic American Relief Agencyen.wikipedia.org

  Sudanese residents in the United States established IARA-USA in Columbia, Missouri, in response to humanitarian needs in Sudan and other parts of Africa.

A faith-informed but broadly inclusive humanitarian and development organization emphasizing dignity, community participation, self-reliance, and social justice.

• Child welfare and sponsorship

  Orphan Sponsorship

  A donor-supported sponsorship program that provided participating children with food, clothing, medical care, education, and other necessities. Sponsors received a photograph and biographical information about the child. The program operated across countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

• Humanitarian health services

  Health and Medical Relief

  A group of projects providing primary health care, immunizations, nutrition support, prenatal services, infectious-disease prevention, clean water, and sanitation. IARA-USA also supported therapeutic facilities for rape survivors and medical personnel training in conflict-affected areas.

• Community development

  Community Education, Water, and Income Generation Project

  A participatory development model associated with projects in Mali that combined school construction and teacher training with water infrastructure and local income-generation activities. Its stated aim was to help communities build self-sustaining educational and economic systems.

• Education and livelihoods

  Vocational Training

  Training initiatives supported practical skills such as sewing, welding, carpentry, computer use, and languages. These programs were intended to improve employment prospects and economic self-sufficiency, especially in communities recovering from conflict or severe poverty.

• 2016

  Corporate guilty plea and permanent dissolution

  The organization pleaded guilty to transferring nearly $1.4 million to Iraq in violation of federal sanctions and agreed to dissolve permanently. The sentencing court had previously stated that the case did not establish aid to a terrorist organization.

  Source

• 2007

  Federal sanctions prosecution

  IARA-USA and associated individuals were indicted over alleged illegal transfers of approximately $1.4 million to Iraq during the U.S. sanctions period.

  Source

• 2004

  OFAC terrorism designation involving Sudan-based affiliate

  OFAC designated the Sudan-based Islamic African Relief Agency and five senior officials as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, alleging support for al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, and the Taliban. The designation and related investigation affected IARA-USA operations.

  Source

Read more

• 1996Anwar Educational Center

  Bosnia and Herzegovina

  The center provided computer and language training to young women, demobilized soldiers, and other people affected by the Bosnian war.

  Outcome. The project was designed to improve access to employment, economic self-reliance, and post-war social recovery.

  Source
• International Orphan Sponsorship

  Afghanistan · Albania · Azerbaijan · Bangladesh · Chad · Ethiopia · Jordan · Kenya

  The program connected donors in the United States with children requiring long-term support, financing basic needs, medical care, and education.

  Outcome. It was described as one of IARA-USA's most successful programs but ended when the organization ceased operations.

  Source
• Djindjini-Koire Community School

  Mali

  IARA-USA supported a community school serving boys and girls in Mali as part of a wider education, water, and income-generation initiative in the Timbuktu region.

  Outcome. The broader project sought to build locally managed schools, train teachers, and establish a more self-sufficient educational infrastructure.

  Source

• 2016

  Agreeing to permanent dissolutionOther

  Background

  Following its prosecution for violating U.S. sanctions on Iraq, IARA-USA entered a corporate plea agreement.

  Action taken

  The organization pleaded guilty and agreed to dissolve as a corporation permanently. Its board also agreed not to establish a successor corporation conducting the same activities.

  Aftermath

  IARA-USA ceased to exist as an operating humanitarian organization, ending its relief, sponsorship, health, education, and development programs.

  Funds transferred to Iraq. Nearly $1.4 million (Transfers alleged to have occurred during 1990-2003; corporate plea entered in 2016)

  Source

1. 1Islamic American Relief Agencyen.wikipedia.org