A shocking revelation has surfaced regarding USAID, a key American government agency, inadvertently funding a Pakistan-based organization linked to terrorism. Despite being banned by the US government, the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), received financial aid through USAID. The group has a history of orchestrating deadly attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people, six of whom were American citizens.
Even after scrutiny over its funding practices, USAID continued disbursing funds to FIF, raising serious concerns. The organization was blacklisted in 2010, yet it received financial support through a US-based charity, Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD), which has suspected ties to extremist groups in South Asia. Investigations revealed that USAID allocated $110,000 to HHRD, despite longstanding allegations of its connection to terror networks.
In 2021, reports surfaced regarding USAID’s financial involvement with HHRD, triggering an inquiry. However, instead of halting aid, another $73,000 was granted to the same charity in 2023 under the Biden administration. Congressman Michael T. McCaul, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, addressed this issue in a letter to USAID Administrator Samantha Power, urging a reassessment of such funding. Back in 2019, multiple members of Congress had already called for an investigation into HHRD’s alleged terror links, yet financial support continued.
Former President Donald Trump’s executive order to restructure USAID was viewed by some as a necessary step to prevent further misallocation of American taxpayers’ money. Trump had previously labeled USAID as part of the “deep state” and emphasized the need for accountability. Analysts argue that funding terror-linked organizations couldn’t have occurred without high-level interference, warranting a transparent investigation.
Meanwhile, LeT continues to operate under different names, including The Resistance Front (TRF), which has been actively involved in terror activities in Kashmir. The Indian government has also banned TRF, highlighting the persistent threat posed by these groups.
With the exposure of USAID’s misdirected funds, global security experts are calling for stricter oversight of foreign aid distribution to prevent such misuses in the future.
