Qatar-based charity organizations a facade, fuel global terrorism

The incessant bankrolling by Qatar-based charity organizations have become a major cause behind global terrorism as millions of dollars have been sent to these organisations in camouflage for building mosques, madrasas and promoting education and employment opportunities among Muslim communities.

Such organizations have been funding Muslim organisations to promote a radical school of Islam which deepens differences and suspicion in multi-religious societies like that of India, reported Policy Research Group, citing James Douglas Crikton, a London-based writer.

According to the report, the principal charity in Qatar indulging in supporting extremism across the world, including India, is Sheikh Eid Bin Mohammad Al Thani Charitable Association, also referred to as Eid Charity, one of the founding members of which was labelled as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) by the U.S. Department of Treasury in 2013. Known as Abd Al-Rahman al-Nu'aymi, he was charged with providing financial and material support to al-Qaida and its affiliates in Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Somalia.

Many direct beneficiaries of the Qatar charity funding have in turn been supporting smaller groups which have been associated with global terrorist entities like al Qaida and Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) as several of these groups are in fact shell entities, created to hide the real beneficiaries, the Salafi groups.

Eid Charity also allegedly works with local Qatar Charity and Foundation Sheikh Thani Ibn Abdullah for Humanitarian Services (RAF) and the like which are reportedly terror-financing charity groups, the POREG added, explaining further.

Various studies have established a strong connection between extremism and terrorism financing and the direct involvement of cash. Since charity organisations like Eid Charity use community welfare as a reason for donations as it profoundly helps extremist organisations to use the money for activities that are anti-national in nature.

Leaked Eid Charity documents, published by a US-based, Middle East Forum, show a sum of USD 7.82 was transferred to eight Salafi groups in India. The money was meant for building, repairing mosques and establishing water pump sets.

Salafi Philanthropic Society - Kerala (QR 17,710,845.00), Symposium Educational Charitable Society - Ubay (QR 7,330,385.00), Peace Education Centre - India (QR 1,906,885.00), Al-Safa Educational, Industrial, and Islamic Charitable Society - India (QR 924,460.00), Al-Habib Educational and Charitable Foundation - India (QR 339,780.00), Management of mosques and schools - India (QR 270,300.00), Relevance Charitable Foundation (QR 10,200.00) and Organisation of the Charitable Centre for the Promotion of Education, Health and Relief (QR 3,500.00) are some organizations responsible for the global terror, the POREG reported.

Funds are used to help needy individuals and ideological projects like the promotion and distribution of hijab. Dr Hussain Madavoor heads the organisation; he is a prominent religious figure in Kerala. He is the Vice President of Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM), the largest Salafi organisation in Kerala.

As yet, there is no evidence of direct involvement of these Salafi outfits or their members in an act of terrorism in India or abroad but there is no denying that they have taken the first steps towards creating a cadre of possible jihadis through proselytization and indoctrination of young men and women, POREG reported.