UK Charity Commission Opens Statutory Inquiry Into Al-Khair Foundation Over Alleged Hamas Links

Photo: 25th anniversary of Hamas celebrated in Gaza, Hadi Mohammad, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 | Jihad Watch

The UK Charity Commission has launched a statutory inquiry into the Al-Khair Foundation, a prominent Muslim-registered charity, following allegations that the organisation and some of its partners may have had links to Hamas and may have provided financial support to the group.

The Al-Khair Foundation was established with the stated objectives of advancing religion, promoting education, supporting social welfare, encouraging religious harmony and providing humanitarian assistance to people affected by disasters. However, concerns were raised with the Charity Commission last month over alleged links between the charity, its partners and Hamas, including claims that funds may have reached the organisation.

The regulator initially began examining the allegations and gathering additional information to assess the concerns. Following its preliminary assessment, the Commission has now escalated the matter into a formal statutory inquiry, allowing it to investigate the allegations and examine relevant information concerning the charity's activities and governance.

The investigation comes shortly after the arrest in the UK of Mohammad Yousef Hasna, who was employed by the Al-Khair Foundation. Hasna was subsequently extradited to the United States, where he was charged with conspiracy to provide material support to Hamas.

The Charity Commission said it is considering all relevant information as part of its inquiry. This includes establishing the nature and extent of Hasna's connection with Al-Khair Foundation, as well as examining the broader allegations that have been made against the charity and its associated organisations.

Charity's Income Reportedly Increased After October 7

The controversy has also drawn attention to the charity's financial activities following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. According to reports, the foundation's gross income nearly doubled in the period following the attack, prompting further scrutiny of its fundraising and financial operations.

The US Department of Justice alleged in its case against Hasna that he provided financing and commodities to Hamas through an entity described in the indictment as a "sham charity." The Telegraph, after obtaining and examining the indictment, reported that the organisation referred to as the "sham charity" was identified elsewhere in the document as the Al-Khair Foundation.

The Charity Commission's statutory inquiry will now seek to establish the facts behind these allegations and determine whether any regulatory or governance concerns exist. The investigation does not itself establish wrongdoing, and the allegations will need to be assessed against the evidence gathered by the regulator and the relevant authorities.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)