‘Hamas chief’ living in ex-council house in Barnet

A Hamas operative who is alleged to have evaded Israel’s security services when using a relative’s passport to flee to the UK is reportedly living in a former council property in Colindale, north London.

According to a report in the Sunday Times, father of four Muhammad Qassem Sawalha, 62,was given a £112,300 discount on the £320,700 home by Barnet Council, despite them being informed in 2020 by UK Lawyers for Israel campaign group of his background.

Barnet Council leader Barry Rawlings said he was “horrified” to think that Sawalha was living in the area and added the council will work with the police and government to review “the full history” and take “appropriate action”.

Sawalha reportedly arrived in the UK in the 1990s and later obtained UK citizenship before settling down in 2003 in Colindale.

Lawyers for Sawalha said a number of “serious false allegations” were made against their client, and said that he “is a law-abiding British citizen.”

According to a report in the Sunday Times, Sawalha continued to work for Hamas. holding secret discussions about ‘revitalising’ terrorist acts in Israel and aiding in the laundering of money to fund Hamas activities in the West Bank and Gaza, according to a 2004 US Department of Justice indictment.

In 2009, he signed a declaration that praised Allah for “routing the Zionist Jews”, requested weapons be sent to Gaza, and demanded a “Third Jihadist Front” to be established in Palestine, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

He was also a former Finsbury Park Mosque trustee but was forced to quit in 2017.

A Met Police spokesperson confirmed that they assessed Sawalha three years ago in relation to terrorism claims but it was suggested “no further action” was needed.