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A lawyer for The Benevolence International Fund, Canadian chapter, Faisal Kutty, said the charâ€" ity group is closing its 92 King St. S. location on June 1 due to lack of funds to continue its work in helpâ€" ing displaced and poor people in Azerbaijan, Bosnia, Chechnya, Daghestan, â€" Tajikistan _ and Afghanistan. Kutty said U.S. government allegations in the fall, after the tragic events of Sept. 11, were enough to put a stop to the group‘s future fundraising plans. Waterlooâ€"based Islamic A;harity that delivered aid to arâ€"ravaged Muslim popuâ€" lations around the world is closing its doors for the last time this week after funding dried up when it‘s U.S. parent organization was accused of funneling money to terâ€" rorists in the fall by the U.S. govâ€" ernment. Terrorist funding allegations force closure of local charitable organization Looking For a New or Preâ€"owned BMW great products, great service, excellent value. Memorial Wall honours Waterloo‘s fallen soldiers Miller said plans for the wall have been in the works since the closing of the Waterloo Memorial Arena was announced in 2000. Local dignitaries, such as Waterloo MP Andrew Telegdi, Waterloo MPP, Ontario Deputy Premier and Minister of Education Elizabeth Witmer and Waterâ€" loo Mayor Lynne Woolstencroft, were on hand for the ceremony. "That was the original reason for the Waterloo Memorial Arena," she said, "to serve as a memorial to the war dead." The City of Waterloo unveiled and dediâ€" cated its brand new Memorial Wall, Sunâ€" day at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex. Located at the rear of the facility, the wall features the names of 69 war heroes from Waterloo, who gave their lives fighting for peace and freedom; as well as the three traditional prayers, the five flags, and artist David Craig‘s images "We Stand on Guard" and "Glorious and "The wall continues to recognize the legacy of our war veterans and their sacrifices," said Colleen Miller, the city‘s special events coordinator. ond World Wars EXTERIOR °* In 1947, the arena became a commemorative site, www.bâ€"kmotors.com remembrance is now in place to honour the local soldiers who gave their lives during the First and Secâ€" By Anorea Baiey Chronicle Staff Federal agents â€" arrested Arnaout, the executive director of the Ilinoisâ€"based Benevolence International Foundation, at the end of April, charging him with perjury and alleging he had a relaâ€" tionship with Osama bin Laden that dated to the late 1980s. They also allege that donors to the charâ€" ity have been victimized, and that donations were secretly going to support terrorist violence. The FBI alleges that the U.S.â€" based group forwarded $685,560 between January and April 2000 to Islamic guerrillas trained by bin Laden‘s group to fight the Russians in Chechnya, and that Arnaout perjured himself when he said The recent arrest of the Canadiâ€" an group‘s founder, Enaam Arnaout, on perjury charges by the FBI also was a blow to the Canadiâ€" an operations, although both groups are separate legal entities. Special events coordinator Colleen Miller helped unveil the city‘s new Memorial Wall. aNDREA Bamey r Benjamin Moore Exterior Products "It‘s something the veterans appreciate," he said. "They are a real dying breed. A number of them have passed away, and,those who are still alive aren‘t young anymore. It‘s great to see them honâ€" oured, as well." zle. "It‘s up to us to carry on the legacy," she said. "This building is a wonderful example of crossing the generations, and keeping the legacy alive for young people. "Kids seem open to learning about the past, and the artwork and names of the war dead brings it all alive." Gerry Such, president of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 530 in Waterloo, said the wall also serves as a symbol of honour for local war veterans. With the closing of the facility in March 2001, the Waterloo Recreation Complex was reâ€"dedicated last May as a living legacy, and reâ€"named the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex. honouring those who went to war, and never returned. Miller said the wall is the final piece of the puzâ€" PAGE 3 But due to all the bad publicity surrounding the U.S. group and its founder, the Canadian directors decided to close the local program down of funding. Kutty said people are afraid to donate money to the Canadian charity because of all the negative publicity. The decision will effect the charity‘s one fullâ€"time employee. All sponsorship programs operatâ€" ed out of the office, including child sponsorship programs, will be stopped. under oath, in court documents submitted in a civil lawsuit, that the group doesn‘t fund terrorism or military activity but helps charitaâ€" ble causes. While the investigation is ongoâ€" ing into the U.S.â€"based charity, Kutty said its Canadian counterâ€" part hasn‘t been contacted by Canada‘s intelligence or police services. in SALE ANDREA BAILEY PHOTO After the interview process, the committee will come up with a final recommendation that will come before council. Freidel said council is not bound to pick either proposal if councillors don‘t think it‘s an appropriate use for what Andrew Freidel of the city‘s recreation and leisure department and chair of the request for proâ€" posal committee for Rink in the Park, said only two final proposals were received at the end of Februâ€" ary. The committee is currently evaluating these two options, and engaged in an interview process that ended in midâ€"May which clarified some questions about the direction the potential operaâ€" tors would take the cityâ€"owned facility. The six candiâ€" wWilR t dates were whitâ€" tled down to two . â€"pet after a request for Skilis Inno proposal process was launched in December that asked the groups to put a business plan together for the facility. The proposal process also asked how the groups would meet important criteria like ensuring community access to Rink in the Park. Those groups included the Skills Innovation Group and the Granite Club, and four othâ€" ers including the Waterloo Minor Hockey Associaâ€" tion, the YMCA, Wilfrid Laurier University and the New Hope Comâ€" munity Church. The Rink in the Park became surplus recreational space in Sepâ€" tember when the Kâ€"W Skating Club moved to its new RIM Park training facility. Calls for expresâ€" sions of interest in the facility went out at the same time, and six groups came forâ€" wa w ar,) tha:?:al}_o answer ItS C The six groups initially interestâ€" ed in taking over the dayâ€"toâ€" day operations of Rink in the Park have been cut down to two. And the final recommendation on whether to go with the Skills Innovation Group‘s hockey skills centre of excellence, or the Granâ€" ite Club‘s bid to move its curling operations to Waterloo should come in June. Two groups vie for Rink in the Park By Bos VrBanac Chronicle Staff A life&f;& altering experience! 677 Belmont Ave W., Kitchener 1120 Victoria St. N , Kitchener 583 King St. N., Waterloo the one that survives and we can carry on in partnership with the city." loo should "What were looking at is a cenâ€" tre for all ages and genders," said ark became _ Brill, a former general manager of pace in Sepâ€" _ the Waterloo Siskins who currentâ€" â€"W Skating _ ly manages the Cambridge Winâ€" w RIM Park _ terhawks Junior B hockey team. for expresâ€" _ "It would be strictly a developâ€" the facility _ mental centre." time, and six The program would feature some offâ€"ice condiâ€" "Te tioning coupled Its a great with ofi-ice s‘l)(ills 7 j development. The location.I just development. The hope that OUFr _ get 10 months of . . , _ ice time out of the business plan is | facility, with oppâ€" ortunities for other the one that groups to come in g during the downâ€" survives and We Time t June ana Tan carryv on in y Skills Innovation Group HEERS â€"â€" & DESIGN _ CENTRES â€"â€" â€"Peter Brill Derek Babcock, a member of the Granite Club‘s requestâ€"forâ€" proposal committee, also thinks moving his club‘s curling operaâ€" tions to the Rink in the Park would be a welcome addition to Waterâ€" loo. Waterloo hasn‘t had a curling club since the old one was torn down in the 1960s. It will also be a good move for "It‘s a great location," said Brill, who hopes the centre becomes a model for other communities. "I just hope that our business plan is the one that survives and we can carry on in partnership with the city. "I think the community needs it, and I think it will be a welcome addition to the community." 4A L C Brill said it won‘t 'rshlp be strictly an elite â€"," s _ training centre for 2 Clly. players looking to move up the ranks. pril It will also take on fon troup adult programs, and programs«for disadvantaged children who can‘t afford the high cost of the regular hockey experience. The universities will also have some access to the facility to run intramural programs out of the centre during nonâ€"peak hours. Peter Brill, a member of the Skills Innovation Group, said his partners are still very interested in turning the former figureâ€"skating facility into a centre of excellence for hockey training. It will be a skills development centre that will cater to local minor hockey playâ€" ers, both boys and girls, as well as adult players and retirees looking to learn the game. will remain a cityâ€"owned facility Continued on page 4 (519) 5785330 (519) 576â€"7576 19 7721127