Money group behind anti-Israel campus protests designated as foreign terror org
Joint statement by U.S. Treasury and Canada added “Samidoun,” to its terror organization lists
As of October 15, the U.S. Treasury and Canada jointly designating Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network as a foreign terrorist organization, calling it a “sham charity that serves as an international fundraiser” for Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
“Organizations like Samidoun masquerade as charitable actors that claim to provide humanitarian support to those in need, yet in reality divert funds for much-needed assistance to support terrorist groups,” said Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T. Smith. “The United States, together with Canada and our like-minded partners, will continue to disrupt those who seek to finance the PFLP, Hamas, and other terrorist organizations.”
“Canada remains committed to working with our key partners and allies, like the United States, to counter terrorist organizations and their fundraisers,” remarked the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Canadian Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs. “Today’s joint action with the U.S. sends a strong message that our two nations will not tolerate this type of activity and will do everything in our power to ensure robust measures are in place to address terrorist financing.”
The joint statement is lengthy but gives important background on the people (Khaled Barakat) and groups involved in funding anti-Israel protests on U.S. college campuses.
Boiled down, these are the groups:
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)
Alliance for Global Justice (AFGJ)
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network (Samidoun)
These are the people:
Khaled Barakat - Designated as an individual terrorist by Canada & the U.S.
Charlotte Kates (Barakat’s wife) - Samidoun’s director
I also identified one of the groups linked to Samidoun in North Carolina called Migrant Roots Media (MRM). The group operates out of Durham. Its leader Roxana Bendezú, and well-known far-left Durham activist Loan Tran is on MRM board. Both of these individuals have been involved in the anti-Israel group “Durham2Palestine,” and several of the MRM staff have ties to Duke University and Duke University Press.
More To The Story
Back near the end of April this year, More To The Story reported on the anti-Israel protests occurring on college campuses nationwide, including where the money was coming from.
In that April report, I referenced an article I wrote for North State Journal in late 2023 outlining how Arabella Advisors, a dark money passthrough outfit, had cut ties with the organizations behind the protests once their involvement started to hit the news.
Arabella was using two of its sub-organizations to distribute “grants” to AFGJ, which in turn was funding Samidoun and untold numbers of sub-groups Samidoun was giving money to.
Follow the Money
Donors / PFLP => Arabella Advisors & its sub-orgs
Arabella Advisors => Alliance for Global Justice (AFGJ)
AFGJ => Samidoun
Samidoun => Untold number of protests groups/leaders
Capital Research Center (CRC) has noted that AFGJ has extensive financial ties to Democratic dark money groups as well as George Soros through his Tides network and Open Society Foundation.
Among CRC’s list of funding sources for AFGJ is the “Minnesota Freedom Fund” to the tune of $350,000 in 2022. This is the same fund promoted by Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2020 riots in Minneapolis.
Read the full CRC article: Samidoun Sanctioned as Terrorists: Why It’s a Bigger Deal Than Realized
Read the MTS April article:
