A German charity that was outlawed for alleged links to a radical Islamic group can resume operations until a ruling on the ban’s legality, a federal court said Wednesday. The Federal Administrative Court’s decision, which drew sharp criticism from top security officials, allows Al-Aqsa to raise and spend money as long as it keeps the government informed about how it uses its funds. Germany banned Al-Aqsa last year, alleging it supported terrorism by collecting donations for the families of Palestinian suicide bombers. The group’s leader says their organization only provides food, medicine and other such aid to the poor. The court said their was no immediate indication that Al-Aqsa, based in Aachen, poses a threat to security in Germany. Interior Minister Otto Schily said the decision was “incomprehensible” in view of the threat of international terrorism. “I hope it will be corrected in the near future,” he added. The court in Leipzig did not say when it expected to rule on the legality of the ban. Al-Aqsa was one of several groups that allegedly support international terrorism that were banned under laws passed after the Sept. 11 attacks. Full Story
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