Islamic charities probed amid fears ‘cash could have made its way to ISIS’

From The Express

THE charity watchdog fears tens of thousands of pounds donated to a British Islamic charity that operates in Syria could have ended up in the hands of Islamic State (ISIS) fanatics, it can be exclusively revealed

Express.co.uk has also found ALL British charities offering funding and aid to victims of war in terror hotspots, such as Syria, Iraq, and other conflict zones, are being forensically probed by the Charity Commission, amid growing fears the cash they raise could inadvertently end up lining the pockets of ISIS brutes and other jihadist groups once it arrives in affected regions.

There is also growing concern that UK individuals wishing to join terror groups such as ISIS overseas could infiltrate such charities in order to provide a legitimate cover for their travel plans

Earlier this week we revealed official Charity Commission inquiries have begun into two other Islamic west-London based charities.

Both the Light Charity UK (TLC) and the connected Fatimiyya Trust (FT), which have raised a combined total of £1million for refugees and natural disaster victims in Pakistan, Syria, Gaza, and Somalia, are facing probes into “significant financial irregularities”.

Now it can be revealed that Masoom, an all-woman charity based in Leyton, east London, is also being probed by the watchdog.

A spokesperson confirmed it “opened a statutory inquiry into Masoom” last month.

They added: “The charity’s objects include providing relief and assistance to people in any part of the world who are the victims of war, natural disaster, trouble or catastrophe. The charity has operated in Pakistan, Syria and Gaza.

“The trustees were unable to provide records to evidence expenditure of over £129,000. 

“The funds were spent overseas during a period of two years between 2013 and 2015. The concerns were so serious that the Commission immediately exercised its legal powers to direct the trustees to undertake specific action in respect of this and to address other regulatory concerns identified.

Express.co.uk called a mobile number used to promote the charity and a woman who answered said she was a Masoom trustee, but refused to give her name.

However, she did agree to answer questions, and she denied there had been any wrongdoing, but said the charity had temporally ceased fund-raising until the outcome of the inquiry.

She also insisted the organisation would account for all money it had spent overseas, which had gone to help refugees in affected countries.

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