Illinois Becomes First State to Introduce Anti-terrorism Bill

In a local move reflecting rising national sentiment to curb support for terrorism in this country, Illinois has become the first state to introduce a bill aimed at halting at flow of funds to international terrorist groups.

The legislation would assign civil and criminal penalties for fund raising or solicitation of funds in Illinois for terrorist groups.

The bill comes in the wake of widespread reports that Chicago has become a hotbed of fund-raising efforts for terrorist groups, including Hamas, the Palestinian organization responsible for many of the recent attacks against Israeli civilians.

Some reports also indicated that paramilitary training for members of Hamas and other groups had been conducted in Illinois.

“The danger manifested by international terrorism has been manifested”, said Rep. Tom Cross, a Republican who is the lead sponsor of the bill and chairman of the state House of Representative’s Judiciary Committee.

“The issue cannot be ignored any longer and the need to address this is clear,” Cross said at a news conference held Friday at the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.

Under the provisions of the bill, which was drafted with input from Chicago’s Jewish Community Relations Council, the solicitation or contribution of funds to terrorist groups would constitute a Class I felony, punishable by four to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The attorney general would have license to cancel a suspected organization’s charity status and could confiscate the assets of any person or organization believed to be soliciting funds that might be used to support international terrorist activity.

Legislators say they are hopeful that the bill, which has bipartisan support, will pass the House and make its way to the Senate within the next several weeks.

“The bill sends a clear and forceful signal that those who aid terrorism will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” said co-sponsor Rep. Jeff Schoenberg, a Democrat.

More important than the bill’s legal consequences is its message to terrorist groups raising funds in Illinois, according to one legislator.

“What we’re saying here is that while funding for international terrorism may not stop, Chicago is no longer going to provide a hospitable place for it”, said Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky.

The Illinois bill mirrors some aspects of the federal legislation aimed at curbing support for international terrorist groups that is expected to be introduced in Congress shortly.

President Clinton has already frozen the U.S. funds and assets of various terrorist organizations, including Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah.

Democratic Rep. Louis Land, who was at the news conference, said Illinois plans to work closely with the federal government in implementing the anti-terrorism bill.

Although most recent acts of terrorism in the United States and abroad have been perpetrated by groups with a self-proclaimed Islamic connection, it is important to make clear that “the legislation is in no way meant to condemn the Islamic religion nor to impugn all Muslims”, said Michael Kotzin, director of the Chicago JCRC.

Asked how the state can trace the use of funds raised in Illinois, Schoenberg said “clear patterns have emerged” in the soliciting and use of funds channeled to terrorist groups.

Many terrorist groups operate and raise funds under the pretext of providing social services to religious constituencies abroad.

Nonetheless, Schoenberg said he is confident that no First Amendment issues preventing government intrusion in religious affairs will come to play.

“This bill is a concerted, coordinated effort to stop the flow of funds that promote violence, and that’s not covered under the First Amendment”, he said.