Charity Commission launches second inquiry into British Muslim charity

BBC News reports on another investigation launched into a British Muslim charity, Children in Deen, weeks after the inquiry established into Al Fatiha Global.

The inquiry into Children in Deen was launched after it was found to have organised travel arrangements for Abdul Waheed Majeed, the first British Muslim to have allegedly engaged in a suicide bombing in Syria. The Charity Commission which says it first engaged with the charity over concerns related to convoys to Syria, has now launched an inquiry to inspect

“due diligence and vetting procedures when administering convoys” and “whether or not the trustees had complied with and fulfilled their duties and responsibilities as trustees under charity law.”

William Shawcross, the Chairman of the Charities Commission, recently warned “The problem of Islamist extremism and charities… is not the most widespread problem we face in terms of abuse of charities, but is potentially the most deadly. And it is, alas, growing.”

The poor evidence base on which claims such rest, the Charity Commission itself acknowledges that “proven instances of terrorist involvement or association in the charitable sector are low in comparison to the size of the sector,” and the politicisation of the Charity Commission’s work in relation to the Muslim charitable sector will mean all such inquiries will need to demonstrate a clear regard for helping Muslim charities comply with the law and not a disproportionate focus or discriminatory agenda against Muslim charities.