A shocking revelation has emerged regarding the US Agency for International Development (USAID) channeling funds to a Pakistan-based terror outfit, Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), despite the organization being designated a terrorist group by the US government. FIF is a known front for Hafiz Saeed’s Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the militant group responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people, including six Americans.
According to recent disclosures, USAID continued to disburse funds to FIF through Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD), a Michigan-based Muslim charity that has been accused of ties to jihadist groups operating in South Asia. Records indicate that in October 2021, USAID awarded $110,000 to HHRD under the Ocean Freight Reimbursement Program, despite longstanding allegations connecting HHRD to terror financiers and extremist organizations.
The issue has been flagged by US lawmakers. Michael T. McCaul, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, raised concerns in a 2023 letter to USAID Administrator Samantha Power. He pointed out that in November 2019, three Members of Congress had already urged the State Department to investigate HHRD’s alleged links to terrorist groups. Despite the ongoing scrutiny, USAID disbursed an additional $73,000 to the charity under the Biden administration in 2023.
The controversy over USAID’s funding surfaced amid former President Donald Trump’s efforts to curtail the agency’s operations. Trump, who has accused USAID of being part of the “deep state,” issued an executive order aimed at dismantling it. While this move could impact various international projects, some experts believe it might curb the misuse of American taxpayer money for funding groups that threaten India’s security.
“The FIF is a Pakistan-based organization that is closely connected to the banned terrorist group LeT and its humanitarian front Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD),” a US State Department document states, directly linking FIF to the Mumbai attacks.
Strategic affairs expert Amjad Taha criticized USAID’s handling of the issue, noting that despite exposure, the agency only launched an internal investigation.
“Did you know that USAID provided $110,000 in funding to jihadist groups in South Asia, including one that targeted India? When exposed, they merely launched an internal investigation. USAID funded HHRD, a Michigan-based Islamist charity with ties to jihadist groups, including Pakistan’s Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization involved in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. This isn’t about shutting down USAID but about holding accountable the staff who made this happen. Which department are they in now? How are they serving Islamists? Which charity or school are they operating today?” Taha posted on X.
Did you know that USAID provided $110,000 in funding to jihadist groups in South Asia, including one that targeted India? When exposed, they merely launched an internal investigation. USAID funded HHRD, a Michigan-based Islamist charity with ties to jihadist groups, including…
— Amjad Taha أمجد طه (@amjadt25) February 3, 2025
Meanwhile, LeT remains active in India, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir, where it has launched a proxy outfit, The Resistance Front (TRF), to continue its operations. TRF has been designated a terrorist organization by the Indian government.
The revelations have raised pressing questions about accountability within USAID and the broader implications of lax oversight on foreign aid. Observers stress the need for a comprehensive and transparent investigation to prevent further misuse of US funds in supporting global terrorism.
(With inputs from India Today)
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