‘Bogus UK charity collectors’ could fund Islamist terrorism
Police at the sharp end of the Government’s counter-radicalisation strategy believe Muslim communities are vulnerable to intimidating fundraising which may be supporting criminal and terrorist activity, according to a new report.
Officers in West Yorkshire told researchers how the religious injunction to give to charity within some communities in Bradford had left them open to questionable practices.
The concerns were raised as part of a wide-ranging research project which looked at the role of community policing in combating extremism and promoting the Government’s Prevent counter-radicalisation strategy.
The report, by extremism expert Hannah Stuart for the Henry Jackson Society think-tank, is based on interviews with officers from West Yorkshire Police and the North East Counter-Terrorism Unit between October and December last year.
One contributing officer told the researchers: “The trick is, on these streets which are always really busy, was to go to some of the main arterial routes, press the button on the pelican lights, stop all the traffic and then go down the line of traffic with a bucket… and literally stop all the traffic, and we had lots and lots and lots of them. It led to an increase in tensions, because you either give or you don’t and some people said, ‘well actually I put some money in the collection in the bucket three cars back’, ‘Oh put some in, ‘No, no’, and then… not every time, but on occasions there was abuse, following, ‘well you blatantly support the Israelis’.”
Officers told the researchers how one heated incident, after a couple refused to give at the beginning of the Gaza crisis, was recorded as a hate crime.
One contributing officer told the team: “Our team are out there, handing out leaflets, reminding people and saying, ‘look there are bogus charity collectors who are just villains putting it in their pocket, but also as part of that you need to be aware that people give and the money might not go to where you think, it might end up funding terrorism’.”
The researchers were also told there was a problem with unregulated collection pots in shops and cafes.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
