BBC News Online: World: Europe

Nato raids Kosovo Islamic charity

More than 40,000 Nato troops are deployed in Kosovo

In a statement, the Nato-led force (K-For) and United Nations police said they conducted searches at two offices belonging to the charity, the Global Relief Foundation.

They said the foundation "is suspected of supporting worldwide terrorist activities and is allegedly involved in planning attacks against targets in the US and Europe".

The foundation - which raises about $5m a year for projects, mainly in Muslim countries - has denied being involved in any illegal activities.

The Nato statement said the raids - in the capital Pristina and at Djakovica - took place after they received "credible intelligence information".

A quantity of documents and equipment from the offices was also seized.

Under scrutiny

The statement said the investigation was continuing.

The Global Relief Foundation is based in Chicago but has a European headquarters in Brussels.

It was among several Islamic aid groups put under scrutiny by the US Government after the 11 September attacks on New York and Washington.

Kosovo has been under UN administration since Serb forces were driven out by Nato's 1999 bombing campaign.