The New York Times runs a profile on Yassin Qadi (Kadi), a Saudi businessman alleged by the US government of being a supporter of terrorism. He denies the charge; similar charges were dropped by a Swiss court earlier this year. But, following 9/11, the US, working through the UN, froze his assets. Because the information used to identify him has a funder for Al-Qaeda are classified, no one outside governments knows exactly what allegations were made and what proof was used to sustain them. The article notes that because the action taken against him was an executive function, he has no recourse to US courts to argue his case.

I don’t know whether or not Qadi was involved in funding terrorism. He was certainly engaged with supporting the mujahideen in Afghanistan during the 1980s and early 90s, when that was seen as a good thing, though he claims he never transferred a penny to Bin Laden. Qadi claims he disengaged from his personal friendship with Bin Laden when he took up his anti-Western attitudes. As I don’t have access to the US government’s documentation, I can’t say who’s in the right of this.

A Wealthy Saudi, Mired in Limbo Over an Accusation of Terrorism
LANDON THOMAS Jr.

JIDDA, Saudi Arabia

YASSIN KADI, a multimillionaire businessman with investments and charities that span the globe, does not get out much these days. Once a man of the world, Mr. Kadi is confined to Saudi Arabia and spends most of his time in his sun-drenched compound in this bustling commercial capital of the country. His travel is limited mainly to the short drive from his home in Jidda to the office where he manages his shrunken business affairs.

In October 2001, after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the United States Treasury designated Mr. Kadi a terrorist supporter, accusing him of funneling money to Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda through a web of businesses, foundations and universities.

His ample worldwide assets were frozen, and he has been advised by the Saudi government not to leave the country.
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