BEWARE: Bogus Muslim charities ‘collecting money to fund terrorism of Islamic State’

BOGUS Islamic charity collectors are targeting moderate UK Muslims to fund criminal and terrorist activities, it is feared.

scams, criminal and terrorist activities, khlaid mahmood, bogus islamic charity collectorsPA

Dodgy Islamic charities were rampant in Manchester and east London

They are using intimidation to raise money allegedly for charities helping victims of the Syrian civil war and are “abusing” Muslims who refuse to donate.

Police and counter terror authorities have warned that the unregistered Islamic charities are operating door to door collections and have even solicited drivers when they stop at traffic lights.

Muslims who refuse to hand over cash are accused of not supporting their communities or of being “ supporters of the Israelis.”

Senior police officers have voiced their fears to the political think tank the Henry Jackson Society who have compiled a report called Community Policing and Preventing Extremism.

Khalid Mahmood, the Labour MP for Perry Bar in Birmingham, has warned that unregistered Islamic charities are running rampant in areas like Bradford, Birmingham, Manchester , Yorkshire, Luton and Tower Hamlets in east London.

The problem is so widespread in Bradford that West Yorkshire police has warned Muslim communities and schools about “safe giving”.

A senior officer from the force told the report:” Young Muslim men and their mums are at home during the day and they will get people knocking on their doors week in, week out, asking for money.

“And week in, week out, they will give money but what they are saying privately to us is ‘ I don’t want these people coming to my door, they intimidate me.’ “

It is understood that police in West Yorkshire suspect that some of the money raised may have found its way to Hamas in Gaza and Lashkar-e-Taiba , the Pakistani network behind the Mumbai attacks which killed 166 people.

The author of the report, Hannah Stuart, said:” At is most basic, it is a form of religious extortion where Muslims are taken advantage of because of their generous cultural attituide toward giving.

“Not only is there the immediate worry that the money raised from unregistered collectors will be used to criminal or even terrorist intent but the police are also mindful of the damager such intimidating fundraising can do to Muslim communities.”

Khalid Mahmood Labour MP in BirminghamAP

Khalid Mahmood Labour MP in Birmingham

MP Mr Mahmood said illegal charities were using “emotional rhetoric”.

“They are forceful and intimidatory to people, particularly women in cars, so people feel obliged to give something. They say ‘ you should give something and if you don’t, then you are not supporting the Muslim community. ‘ So they are quite forceful.

“It is happening in a number of places where there are large Muslim communities.”

He said he had discussed his concerns with the chairman of the Charity Commission which is investigating 86 aid groups for possible links to terrorism including 37 which are raising funds for, or operating in, Syria.

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