Muslim activist detained in US

By Jon Leyne
BBC Washington correspondent

One of the leading Muslim activists in the US has been indicted on charges of money laundering and fraud.

Abdurahman Alamoudi was arrested at the end of September on his return to the United States.

He is now being held in custody.

Mr Alamoudi is director of the American Muslim Foundation.

Mr Alamoudi - who has long been one of the most prominent Muslim activists in America - was arrested on suspicion of providing support to terrorist groups.

But that is not what he has been charged with.

Instead he is accused of illegally accepting money from Libya and then trying to hide the money's origin.

That is against the law in the United States because Libya has been named as a state sponsor of terror by the US Government.

War on terror

In court papers, the US Government alleges that money from charities run by Mr Alamoudi went to groups that support terrorism.

But Mr Alamoudi's lawyer said the indictment just concerned a breach of regulations.

It showed that the government was unable to prove any links with terrorism.

This is the latest in a number of controversial arrests in the wake of 11 September.

The US Government says it is cracking down on terrorism but many Muslims say they are being unfairly targeted.