HOUSTON—The federal government will reportedly be taking control of several mosques across the country including one center in southwest Houston.
The feds say they are taking the action because they believe the organizations have been funneling money to the Iranian government. They say this action could end up as the biggest counterterrorism seizure in U.S. history.
A lot of this still developing, but sources tell 11 News the Houston target of the investigation, appears to be the Islamic Education Center in the 2300 block of South Voss in west Houston. It is a Shiite mosque, not a Sunni mosque, and that’s an important distinction to make.
That center—and several others—are operated by the Alavi Foundation. It is an organization long suspected of being under the control of the Iranian government, say officials.
Along with the Houston mosque, the feds have moved to seize a 36-story office tower and mosque in New York, as well as mosques in Maryland and California.
The feds took the action after reportedly filing a forfeiture action.
Government prosecutors are saying the mosques and of the office tower will stay open while the case works its way through the courts.
