ClrionProject-The number of British charities investigated for extremist links is at an all-time high, according to the head of the Charity Commission, William Shawcross. He told The Sunday Times his organization spoke to police officers about concerns over extremist charities 630 times last year, up from 234 times just three years ago.
The commission opened eight compliance cases and four formal inquiries into charities for “allegations of abuse of charities for terrorist or extremist purposes, including concerns about charities operating in Syria and other higher risk areas, in which terrorist groups operate” in the year 2015/16.
Shawcross told The Sunday Times extremism was “the most potentially dangerous and deadly” problem facing charities in the UK.
“It is the most dangerous because of the threat of Islamist extremism,” he said. “It is not the most constant threat – it is the most potentially deadly threat.”
Muslim charities complain their work has fallen foul of increasingly robust counter-terrorism policies and they are restricted from providing services due to unnecessarily intrusive scrutiny of Islamic charities.
In February 2016, two former secretaries of international development, Andrew Mitchell (Conservative) and Clare Short (Labour) wrote to the House of Commons International Development Select Committee to complain about the treatment of Muslim charities.
“We have got this enormous capacity in the UK of these Muslim humanitarian charities, yet they are struggling with one hand behind their back,” Andrew Mitchell said. “We need a proper scrutiny and examination bringing all this out. It is preventing efficiency.”
Several charities, including Islamic Relief, the world’s largest Muslim charity and one which is linked to the global Islamist organization the Muslim Brotherhood, had their bank accounts shut down.
Shawcross hit back at complaints by Muslim charities in his interview however, saying due diligence was necessary to protect both the public and the charities themselves so those doing good work were not caught up in controversy undeservedly.
“A group of Muslim charity leaders came in to complain when I said this the first time and I said, ‘Look we are here to protect you if there were another atrocity on the streets of London, like the murder of Lee Rigby,” Shawcross told The Sunday Times. “And, if an atrocity like the murder of Lee Rigby were in any way associated with your charity it would be catastrophic for you. We are trying to protect you and protect Muslim charities from that kind of abuse’.”
Middle East MEDIA POST, LLC – This is a list of charities accused of ties to terrorism. A number of charities have been accused or convicted in court of using their revenues to fund terrorism or revolutionary movements, rather than for the humanitarian purposes for which contributions were ostensibly collected. During the “war on terror” the names of several such organisations have been published, although the phenomenon predates 9/11.[1] Some detainees have been captured largely because they volunteered or worked for these charities.
On August 23, 2007 the Bush Administration announced plans to implement enhanced security checking of the employees of American charities, which receive funds from U.S. Agency for International Development, looking for those who might have ties to terrorism.[2] Charities which are turned down will not be offered an explanation, or an avenue to appeal the decisions.
Charities accused of ties to terrorism
Name | Headquarters | Accusers | |
Afghan Support Committee[3][4] | Pakistan | U.S. State Department |
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Al-Haramain Foundation[5] | Saudi Arabia | U.S. State Department |
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Al Kifah Refugee Center[4] | United States | Spanish police |
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Al Wafa al Igatha al Islamia[5] | Afghanistan | U.S. State Department |
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Benevolence International Foundation | United States | Federal Bureau of Investigation |
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Bosanska Idealna Futura | Bosnia | Federal Bureau of Investigation |
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Global Relief Foundation | United States | Federal Bureau of Investigation |
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Health and Education Project International[8] | Canada | Canadian Security Intelligence Service |
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Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development[9][10] | United States | Federal Bureau of Investigation |
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Human Appeal International[11] | United Kingdom | U.S. State Department |
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International Islamic Relief Organization[4] | Saudi Arabia | U.S. State Department |
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Interpal[12] | United Kingdom | United States Treasury Department |
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Internationale Humanitäre Hilfsorganisation e.V.[16][17] | Germany | German Interior Ministry |
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Islamic Relief | United Kingdom | Israel,[18] United Arab Emirates[19][20] | |
Jamaat al Dawa al Quran[21] | Afghanistan | JTF-GTMO |
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Jamat al Tabligh[22] | Pakistan | U.S. State Department |
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Maktab al-Khidamat[23] | Afghanistan | U.S. 9-11 commission |
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Muslim Aid[4] | London | Spanish police,[24] Israel,[25] Government of Bangladesh[26][27][28] |
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Society of the Revival of Islamic Heritage[29] | Kuwait | U.S. State Department | |
Sanabal Charitable Committee[29] | United Kingdom |
|
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Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation(TRO)[30] | Canada | Federal Bureau of Investigation | |
Tamil (Sri Lanka) Refugee-Aid Society of Ottawa[31][32] | Canada | Canadian Revenue Agency |