The allegations focus on two charities which were raided by American agents more than a year ago - the Muslim World League and its affiliate the International Islamic Relief Organisation - and surfaced in an affidavit by a US customs official made public on 20 August. The two charities invested money in New Jersey-based investment company BMI, which in turn is alleged to have given money to Yassin Qadi, accused by the US government of transferring money to Osama Bin Laden, and two senior members of Hamas, Moussa Abu Marzouk and Mohammed Salah. The money invested in BMI came from a $10 million endowment from unnamed Saudi donors.

Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal has so far failed to persuade US President Bush to release the section of a congressional report on financial links to terrorism. The 900-page study on the results of a congressional enquiry into the 11 September attacks was released on 24 July, but a 28-page section on how the terrorists were financed remains classified. Widely reported leaks have made clear that the finger is pointed at Riyadh, and Prince Saud has echoed Saudi ambassador Prince Bandar bin Sultan in calling for publication of the section in question to allow a rebuttal of the accusations.