Court upholds government in fight over Islamic charity assets

Associated Press WriterCHICAGO (AP) -- A federal judge who viewed secret evidence upheld Tuesday the government's seizure of money and records from an Islamic charity federal officials say is suspected of ties to terrorism.

U.S. District Judge Wayne Andersen rejected a request from Global Relief Foundation of suburban Bridgeview for release of its funds.

Attorneys for Global Relief had argued that the order that froze its bank accounts was unconstitutional. But Andersen held that "these arguments are not likely to succeed on their merits."

Andersen said in a 48-page opinion that the government had "established probable cause to believe that Global Relief and its executive director were agents of a foreign power."

Global Relief attorney Roger Simmons said that he would appeal the ruling to the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.

In preparation for his ruling, Andersen viewed secret evidence provided by the government but not shown to Global Relief attorneys.

"We have reviewed materials furnished by the FBI to us and have concluded that they are relevant to the ongoing investigation and that their disclosure to Global Relief, while the investigation is pending, could undermine this investigation and others of national significance," he said.

While much interest has centered on secret evidence in the case, the government did make public March 26 four binders of materials it says represent evidence of Global Relief's links to terrorism.

Among other things, they contained evidence of communication between Global Relief offices in Belgium and Bridgeview and terrorist leader Osama bin Laden's former personal secretary, Wadih El-Hage.