(MENAFN- Emirates News Agency (WAM))
BRUSSELS, 18th July, 2017 (WAM) -- The international think tank, TRENDS Research and Advisory, demanded an effective and co-ordinated European effort and a strategy to stop Qatar's funding of and support for extremist and terrorist organisations, as well as to force it to commit to the international community's decisions regarding the fight against this dangerous phenomenon.
This demand was made during an international press conference that was held in the European Union capital, Brussels, to explain the position of the four countries boycotting Qatar during the current GCC crisis, and to demonstrate the evidence of the Qatari government's support for terrorism and extremism.
The conference, which was held at the Press Club in Brussels, saw the participation of Richard Burchill, Director of Research and Engagement at TRENDS Research and Advisory, and Dr. Roberta Bonazzi, Founder and President of the European Foundation for Democracy.
During the press conference, which was attended by a delegation from the European and Arab media, TRENDS Research and Advisory presented 19 pieces of evidence confirming the support and funding of the Qatari government for extremist and terrorist organisations and prominent personalities.
The evidence included the names of 14 personalities listed on American and international lists of terrorists, as well as five Qatari foundations and others with strong links to the Qatari government.
The list of names, which was presented during the press conference, revealed that 10 of them are Qatari while two others, one Egyptian and one Kuwaiti, held Qatari residency documents.
The Qataris on the list are Abdul Aziz bin Khalifa al-Attiyah, the nephew of the former minister of foreign affairs and the current Minister of State for Defence Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah, as well as Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalid Al Thani, one of the members of the ruling family who was the minister of interior and the minister of Islamic affairs and endowments until 2013.
The list also includes the Egyptian Wagdy Abdul Hamid Ghonaim, one of the leaders of an Islamic group classified as a terrorist organisation in Egypt. The US is demanding his submission to charge him for practising activities to collect donations for terrorist organisations, while Kuwaiti Hajjaj bin Fahd Hajjaj Mohammed Al Ajami organised the "Qatar People Mobilisation Campaign" to collect donations for armed groups in Syria.
The list also mentions Ashraf Mohammed Youssef Othman Abdul Salam, whose nationality is unknown but he has the right to residency in Qatar, while Ibrahim Issa Hajji Mohammed al-Bakr was arrested by the Qatari government and released without trial. He is registered as an employee at the Public Works Authority in Qatar since 2011.
The Trends Research and Advisory stressed that these names are only a sample from among the numerous people on terrorism lists.
Burchill refuted the repeated allegations of the Qatari government regarding their diligent efforts to fight extremism and terrorism. He cited examples that prove the accusation of the Deputy of the American Department of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence to Qatar that they provide a "blanket of protection" that allows the funders of terrorism to work freely.
"There are five authorities providing the cover," he noted, pointing to the Qatari Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, Doha Apple company, Sheikh Eid Al Thani Charitable Association, the Islamic Group and Al Jazeera channel, whom he accused them of having "tools that provide a cover to protect acts of extremism and terrorism."
Concerning the measures taken by the UAE, KSA, Bahrain and Egypt towards Qatar, Burchill stressed that what was happening "is only a boycott and not a siege targeting the Qatari people." He mentioned that several countries had taken diplomatic and economic steps with the aim of forcing Qatar to change its activities and policies that support extremism and terrorism.
He clarified that the 19 pieces of evidence which had been demonstrated were clear and confirmed that "Qatar's support for extremism and terrorism is taking the form of direct government support through funding and providing the material support, which allows the funders of terrorism to work freely in Qatar."
He warned that the Qatari government was providing through the media a stage to promote extremist thought by claiming it is freedom of opinion and expression. He added that Doha was giving extremist viewpoints a voice not only through media but also through general activities on the Qatari territory.
He pointed out that Doha has renounced the clauses of the agreement with the boycotting countries in 2014 and to circumvent it is to justify supporting extremism, for Qatar to strengthen its position as a supporter of extremism, by claiming that it alone has knowledge of the terrorist.
He warned that during the current international situation, there is no option other than the wider bilateral and multilateral co-operation between countries that desire to fight terrorism, considering the fact that efforts to combat extremism and terrorism have proved that no country can solely choose its own way of dealing with this phenomenon, which threatens international peace and security. However, the decisions of the United Nations have provided a good framework for fighting terrorism, he added.
He further added that the UAE and Saudi Arabia are effectively holding into account extremists and organisations supporting extremism and terrorism, and there is no evidence that either country supports or funds terrorism.
He warned Qatar about choosing to work against the international order, represented in the decisions of the United Nations and the punishment against individuals, institutions and organisations supporting terrorism.
WAM/Muzamil Bashir
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