Terrorist front organization - Definition and Overview

A terrorist front organization is created to conceal activities or provide logistical or financial support to the illegal activities. "Import-export" companies are favorite front organizations for terrorist groups.
This is a limited list of groups that have been accused of being terroist fronts:

• Al Barakaat, an international money wiring organization accused of funding Al-Qaida
• Benevolence International Foundation, a charity that U.S. authorities accuse of diverting funds to terrorist activities, including those of Al-Qaida
• Global Relief Foundation, accused of funding Islamist terrorists
• Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, a charity accused of funding Hamas
• Konsojaya Trading Company, accused of providing financial assistance to local Jemaah Islamiyah plots and Al-Qaida plots in Southeast Asia

In addition, many have accused CAIR of supporting Islamist imams and for supporting HAMAS and Hezbollah.

For many terrorist organizations there are legitimate political parties which share the majority of the terrorist's views. These parties either adopt the position of refusing to condemn terrorist attacks or condemning the attacks but acknowledging a people's rights to defend themselves. Aside from the political support they offer terrorists, many of these parties are accused of giving either financial or operational support. Any support they may give is very carefully hidden so as to remain a legitimate party under a state's law.