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Militant Islam Monitor > Articles > Muslim charity which supported reelection of mayor Ken Livingstone linked to terrorism

Muslim charity which supported reelection of mayor Ken Livingstone linked to terrorism

January 13, 2008

NOTE: The cited letter by the British Muslim Initiative is posted at http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/open_letter/2008/01/supporting_ken_livingstone_as.html and pasted below with a "clarification" by BMI.

Muslim charity that backed Ken accused of terror links
11/01/2008

By Bernard Josephs The Jewish Chronicle (UK)

http://www.thejc.com/home.aspx?ParentId=m11&SecId=11&AId=57320&ATypeId=1

One of the Muslim charities which was a signatory to an open letter backing Ken Livingstone's campaign to remain London's mayor is the subject of an investigation by the security services and the Charity Commission following allegations that it is linked with the funding of terrorism.

The probe into the Ilford-based body, Crescent Relief — whose bank accounts have been frozen by the authorities — began last August and is still continuing, said a commission spokesperson. "The inquiry will focus on whether or not the charity's funds, or funds raised on its behalf, were used unlawfully. As a temporary and protective measure, the commission has frozen the bank accounts of the charity. Funds cannot be used by the charity without express permission from the Commission."

Ken Dibble, director of the commission's legal and charity-services department, said the authority was working with "law-enforcement agencies to get to the bottom of allegations of possible terrorist abuse of Crescent Relief funds. "The allegations made are very serious and we are taking action to protect the charity's funds while the investigation is under way. At this stage in such a complex and sensitive investigation it is difficult to say how long our inquiry may take."

The Crescent Relief's objectives, as set out in its entry in the Charity Commission's register, are the "relief of persons suffering from financial hardship, sickness or distress, or who are otherwise in need, in particular refugees and displaced persons from Azad [Free] Kashmir and Pakistan, and those who have fallen victim to natural and man-made disasters, and the advancement of the education of such persons".

Meanwhile, the commission said it would investigate a possible breach of its regulations by Muslim charities which declared their backing for Mr Livingstone "on all levels possible" in May's mayoral election. A Charity Commission spokesperson said they were looking into the matter "to see what, if any action, will be necessary on our part". The commission official pointed to its rule banning charitable organisations from supporting a political party. "If a charity endorses a party… it is effectively supporting the party as a whole and will be endorsing the party's policies on all sorts of things which are nothing to do with the charity's objectives. This principle is the reason why charities cannot use their resources to assist candidates at elections," reads the regulation.

In an open letter published on the Guardian's Comment is Free web pages, 63 signatories, including 16 charities, declared: "We the undersigned believe that it is in the best interest of the Muslim communities of London, and indeed all Londoners, to back Mr Livingstone in this year's mayoral election." They praised also Mr Livingstone's stand on the Middle East. "He has championed… freedom for the Palestinians and withdrawal of occupying troops from Iraq," they said.

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Give Ken a third term

The interests of London's Muslim communities would be best served by re-electing Livingstone as mayor

Open Letter

January 3, 2008 7:00 AM | Printable version

Since June 2000, Ken Livingstone has been an outstanding mayor of London. He has stood out in support of a multicultural society and has supported the Muslim communities of the city against racism and Islamophobia as well as all other minorities against all types of prejudice.

His stands and policies have constantly championed justice in the Middle East and around the world, freedom for the Palestinians and withdrawal of occupying troops from Iraq; a rare trait of modern-day public figures.

He has enhanced London's standing in the world and helped improve the lives of all of the city's communities.

For those and many more traits continuously and consistently demonstrated by the Ken Livingstone, we the undersigned believe that it is in the best interest of the Muslim communities of London, and indeed all Londoners, to back Mr Livingstone in this year's mayoral elections.

We pledge to continue our support for the mayor on all levels possible in order to secure his staying in office for a third term.

SIGNED ...

Abdi Ismail, East African Society
Ali Alhadithi, Federation of Student Islamic Societies
Ahmed Amir, European Academy for Islamic Studies
Abdurahman Abu Daya, Al Hiwar TV
Abdallah Faliq, Islamic Forum Europe
Abdulmonem Haresha, Muslim Welfare House
Abdul Shaheed, North London Central Mosque
Ahmed Malik, Editor, Muslim Weekly
Ali Khan, Muslim Green Pages
Anas Altikriti, The Cordoba Foundation
Atif Choudry, Zaytoun Trading
Azad Ali, Muslim Community Radio
Belgacem Kahlalech, Algerian League in Britain President
Dilwar Hussain, London Muslim Centre
Dr Abdul Fattah Sa'ad, Al Muntada Al Islami
Dr Abdul Kareem Khaleel, Muslim heritage Centre
Dr Azzam Tamimi, Institute of Islamic Political Thought
Dr Daud Abdullah, An Noor Masjid Acton
Dr Kamal Helbawi, Centre for the Study of Terrorism
Dr Hafiz Al Karmi, Mayfair Mosque
Dr Hashim Charif, Amal Trust
Dr Ismail Jalisi, Muslim Association of Britain London
Dr Jameel Sharif, Salaam.co.uk
Dr Noureddine Miladi, Centre for Arab & Muslim Media Research
Fareed Sabri, Iraqi Communities in London
Fida Alaeddin, IslamExpo
Hashir Farooqi, IMPACT International
Hassan Muinudeen, Dawatul Islam
Imran Hamid, Muslim Health Network
Inayat Bunglawala, Islamic Society of Britain
Ismail Patel, Friends of Al Aqsa
Luqman Ali, Khayaal Theatre Company
M Iqbal Asaria, Afkar Consulting
Majid Azeer, Palestine Return Centre
Mohammad Ali, Islam Channel
Mohamed Basha, Arabic Cultural Community
Mohammad Habib ur Rahman, President Islamic Forum Europe
Mohamad Mounir Rai, Hounslow Jamia & Islamic Centre
Mohammad Kozbar, Lebanese League London
Mohammad Sawlaha, British Muslim Initiative
Mohamed Mumtaz, Crescent Relief
Munier Hagus, The Eritrean Muslim Community Association
Mustafa al Mansur, MOSAIC Foundation
Mohammad Zabadne
Mufti Barkatulla, Islamic Computing Centre in North London
Naja Mohammad, Sri Lank Islamic Forum- UK
Professor Tariq Ramadan, Oxford University / Lokahi Foundation
Ruhul Trafader, 1990 Trust
Riaz Wali, UK Islamic Mission
Riaz Ramzan, the Muslim Directory
Ruqqaya Collector, NUS Black Student
Salma Yaqoob, Vice Chair Respect
Salim Bhorat, Just Peace
Sheikh Haitham Al Haddad, Al Muntada Al Islami
Sheikh Islamil Gangat, Leyton Mosque
Sheikh Sulaiman Ghani, Tooting Mosque
Sir Iqbal Sacranie
Soumaya Ghannoushi, Academic and freelance writer
Tanzeem Wasiti, Muslim Solidarity Committee
Tariq Dhaal, Pakistani Community Centre Brent
Unaiza Malik
Yasmin Qureshi, Prospective Parliamentary Candidate
Zahir Birawi, Palestinian Forum in Britain

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