USAID Accused of Funding Terror-Linked Charity Amid Musk's Criticism

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The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) faces scrutiny for allegedly providing $110,000 to Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD), a charity tied to the Pakistan-based Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation, which is designated as a terrorist organization. According to social media comments by researcher Amjad Taha, this funding occurred in 2019 and is linked to jihadist groups that have targeted India, including those responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed over 166 people.

USAID's internal investigation into the matter was prompted by the controversy, which has gained traction after Elon Musk described the agency as a “criminal organization” and “beyond repair” earlier this month. Musk's statements coincide with the Trump administration's decision to place all USAID international employees on leave and recall thousands of staff from overseas missions.

The Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation, established by Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba, has been accused of masquerading under a humanitarian facade to fund militant activities, leading to its designation by the U.S. Department of State as a terrorist organization in 2010.

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