Report criticises Galloway charity
1 hour ago
PA
A British charity working in the West Bank and Gaza Strip did not do enough to check that partner organisations were not promoting terrorism, the Charity Commission has ruled.
The UK regulator carried out an inquiry into Palestinians Relief and Development Fund (Interpal) - politician George Galloway's chosen charity when he appeared on Celebrity Big Brother three years ago. The investigation followed a BBC Panorama programme called Faith, Hate and Charity. The commission concluded it could not verify claims that certain partner organisations funded by the charity might be promoting terrorist ideology or activities.
But it said the charity had not put in place adequate monitoring procedures to be satisfied this was not happening. "Where procedures were in place, they were not sufficient nor fully implemented," the commission said. It also said the charity had not adequately managed its relationship with an organisation, the Union for Good, which comprises a number of UK and foreign organisations working with Palestinians.
Its president is Sheikh Yusef al-Qaradawi, who in February 2008 was refused a visa to enter the UK due to concerns raised about statements he made that appeared to justify acts of terrorism, the commission noted.
The inquiry concluded that the charity's continued membership of the Union for Good was not appropriate for a number of reasons, including the involvement of "designated entities" in projects co-ordinated through the Union for Good. The commission notes that Dr Essam Mustafa, the charity's "managing trustee", is general secretary of the Union for Good.
It ruled that Interpal's trustees must end the charity's relationship with the Union for Good and ensure that no trustee holds office or has a role within the Union for Good.
A BBC spokeswoman said: "We are pleased to see that the Charity Commission agrees with important points raised by Panorama regarding the running of Interpal."
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To accuse them of terrorist support is the same as saying that tourists support terrorism because they contribute to the local economy.
You can't separate the armed struggle from the people when the people demand that armed struggle for their very survival. The means by which that armed struggle manifests itself is entirely irrelevant.
