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Israel accuses British-funded Islamic On World news


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Israel has branded a major UK charity that receives millions of pounds in Israel · Palestinian
British government money as a terrorist front, accusing it of providing territories · Middle East · 5. Catalan town fears bullfighting ban will
funds and assistance to Hamas, the armed group now in control of the Gaza extinguish its fire bulls
Palestinian Authority.
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Voluntary sector
The Israeli prime minister's office denounced the Birmingham-based
group Islamic Relief hours before the authorities deported the head of its
operations in Gaza, Ayaz Ali, after three weeks' detention. Israel Related
accused Mr Ali of funnelling money to banned organisations and storing 25 Jan 2009
Archbishop of Canterbury
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neo-Nazi images on his computer.
joins criticism of BBC
refusal to air Gaza plea Frozen River
But the charity says the allegations appear to be a mixture of confusion
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and malice intended to justify the detention of an innocent man. The 24 Jan 2009 DVDs, only £7.99 each
prime minister's office seems to have mixed up a hospital with a Hamas Royal Court acts fast with or 3 for £20
charity and a banned organisation with a firm of accountants. Gaza crisis play From: £7.99

Islamic Relief is one of 13 leading UK charities that make up the 23 Jan 2009
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Department for International Development (DfID) allotted £3.75m to Committee
Islamic Relief for work on healthcare and other projects overseas.
19 May 2007
Mr Ali, a 36-year-old accountant from Bradford, who was overseeing EU- If Gaza survives, Europe
funded educational projects in Gaza, was held in a tiny cell and must act Latest news on guardian.co.uk
Last updated less than one minute ago
interrogated by Israel's Shin Bet security service. He was brought before
a military judge on Monday who said there was insufficient evidence to
News
justify his continued detention on security grounds. Within hours, the Three arrested over Pakistan cricket claims
prime minister's office issued a statement saying Mr Ali "admitted" to
being a "member" of Islamic Relief "which is suspected of supporting
Hamas".

"He worked to transfer funds and assistance to various Hamas


institutions and organisations ... which have been outlawed in Israel," the This week's bestsellers
statement said.
1. Human Chain
"Incriminating files were found on Ali's computer, including documents by Seamus Heaney
that attested to [Islamic Relief's] ties with illegal Hamas funds abroad - in £12.99
the UK and in Saudi Arabia - and in Nablus."

The statement said Islamic Relief provided "support and assistance to

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2006/may/31/voluntarysector.israel[8/31/10 10:39:56 AM]


Israel accuses British-funded Islamic charity of being front for terrorists | World news | The Guardian

Hamas's infrastructure" through social welfare organisations "controlled


and staffed by Hamas operatives" whose goals include "the destruction 2.  Red Men
by John Williams £16.99
of the state of Israel".
3.  Red Plenty
Islamic Relief said it does not transfer funds to any group in the by Francis Spufford £16.99
Palestinian territories and that all its transactions are audited by the UK
4.  Finkler Question
Charities Commission. by Howard Jacobson £18.99

After arriving back in the UK yesterday, Mr Ali said if there had been any 5.  It's All About the Bike
evidence against him, the military judge would have ordered him to be by Robert Penn £16.99
charged.

"There is not a grain of truth in anything that Islamic Relief or I have Search the Guardian bookshop
been accused of by the Israeli authorities. I was interrogated for 20 days Search
and every time I made it clear to them that we do not have any political
links and are only interested in humanitarian work" he said.

Islamic Relief's chief executive, Haroun Atallah, accused Israel of a


Sponsored features
smear campaign against the group, which has worked in the occupied
territories since 1994.

"I think it's a face-saving exercise because they arrested an innocent


man, they held him for a long period of time and they're trying to justify
it," he said.

Israel names two organisations it says are outlawed Hamas fronts


assisted by Islamic Relief as "Al Wafa" and "Al Tzalah".

Islamic Relief says Israeli intelligence seems to have confused the


proscribed group, Jamaiat Al-Wafa LiRayat Al-Musenin, with a well-
known hospital in Gaza called Al-Wafa, which received medical supplies
Upload Get jobs by
from Islamic Relief in 2002 and is funded by the US and British
your CV email
government.

Mr Atallah said the Israelis seem to have confused Al-Tzalah with a and get spotted by and get the latest jobs
recruiters in your inbox
reputable firm of auditors used by Islamic Relief.

The prime minister's office implied that Mr Ali is anti-Semitic because Interview Jobs by
images of swastikas and Osama bin Laden were found on his computer. advice Twitter
There was also a photograph of a banner at a demonstration that reads
"God Bless Hitler". we'll help you prepare follow our bespoke
for that interview Twitter feeds
Mr Atallah said the images were stored from BBC news websites. The
photograph of the Hitler banner, taken in Pakistan, can be found on a
international Search
number of websites including several that are pro-Israel.

DfID said yesterday: "We have no reason to believe the allegations are Research Officer,
true." Massey University,
Palmerston North,
Mr Atallah said Islamic relief will be taking legal action. Last night the New Zealand
Australasia | To be
Israeli prime minister's office said it stood by its original statement. advised
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Israel accuses British-funded Islamic charity of being front for terrorists | World news | The Guardian

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