Sheikh Eid bin Mohammad Al Thani Charitable Association

Sheikh Eid Bin Mohammad Al Thani Charitable Association is a Qatari charitable organizations established in 1995 in Doha, Qatar.[1][2] The organization was named after Sheikh Eid Ibn Mohammad ibn Thani ibn Jasim ibn Mohammad Al Thani (1922-1994).

Eid Charity Foundation
مؤسسة عيد الخيريةArabic
Founded atQatar
TypeNGO
Nonprofit organization
HeadquartersQatar
Region
Global
Official language
Arabic
English
Urdu
Websitehttps://www.eidcharity.net

The U.S. Department of Treasury has characterized the organization's founder as "terrorist financier and facilitator who has provided money and material support and conveyed communications to al-Qa'ida and its affiliates in Syria, Iraq, Somalia and Yemen for more than a decade. ”[3]

Relief and Humanitarian Efforts

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Eid Charity provides a wide range of services to people in need in Qatar and elsewhere in the Middle East from food collection and distribution to the poor to supporting drug awareness and rehabilitation programs.[2][4] It has also supported relief efforts in Syria,[5][6][7] Iraq, Yemen, the Palestinian territories,[8] and other countries.[9]

In August 2016, Eid Charity announced that the organization has obtained contracts to build 335 mosques in 17 countries around the world.[10] According to reports, some of the 335 mosques have been built while others will be built throughout 2016. The construction of the mosques will cost about QR 21 million.[10]

Nawaf Alhamadi is the Director General of Sheikh Eid bin Mohammad Al Thani Charitable Association.[11] Ali bin Khaled al Hajri is the Executive Director of Foreign Projects at Eid Charity.[12] Hashim bin Mohammad al-Awadhy is the adviser to the Director General of Eid Charity.[13] Al-Awadhy is a Qatari businessman and the owner of Rabea TV, a TV network broadcast from Istanbul in support of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.[14]

Terrorism Controversy

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Abd Al-Rahman al-Nuaimi, is a founder of the Sheikh Eid bin Mohammad Al Thani Charitable Association in addition to previously serving as a President of the Qatar Football Association, and a history professor at Qatar University,[15][16]. On February 5, 2023, a report by Counter extremism project revealed that the United States and Qatar maintain close military ties. Qatar also maintains close ties with the United States in global counterterrorism operations. Also, the National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NATC) in the Ministry of Interior determines Qatar’s counterterrorism policy and manages interagency cooperation within the government to ensure effective counterterrorism efforts. The government of Qatar entirely restructured the NATC in 2014 to include representatives from more than 10 government agencies as a measure “to secure the nation’s critical infrastructure, as well as to prevent the country from becoming a hub for traveling foreign fighters,” according to the Doha News Agency. The U.S. Department of State credits Qatar’s strict immigration laws and government monitoring of violent extremists for the country’s low rate of domestic terrorism as well claimed the report.[17]

Similar designations from the UN Security Council, EU, UK, and Turkey followed.[18][19][20][21] Al-Nuaimi is also the Secretary General of the Global Anti-Aggression Campaign, an NGO that has repeatedly hosted Hamas leaders, and a founding member and former president of Alkarama, a Geneva-based human rights NGO that works with the UN to advocate for civil rights in the Arab World.[22][23][24][25] In 2013, the Washington Post claimed that Alkarama “lobbies on behalf of Islamist detainees around the world”, including Islamist militias active in Syria, and accuses Western and Arab governments of undermining groups that promote Islamic rule.[26] Humayqani is also an Alkarama founding member.[26] In 2013, the U.S. Department of Treasury added al-Nuaimi to its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT) and described al-Nuaimi as “a Qatar-based terrorist financier and facilitator who has provided money and material support and conveyed communications to al-Qa'ida and its affiliates in Syria, Iraq, Somalia and Yemen for more than a decade.”[3] The announcement also claimed that al-Nuaimi had provided financial support to a charity headed by Al-Qaeda financier and SDGT Abd al-Wahhab Muhammad Abd al-Rahman al-Humayqani.[3]

The association has been accused by Israel of funneling funds to Hamas through its charitable endeavors in the Gaza Strip. Most notably, Israel banned the association and 35 other member organizations of the “Union of Good,” which the Israeli government considers “a roof organization for foundations operated by Hamas around the world, especially in Europe and the Persian Gulf countries.” The Chairman of the Union of Good is Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a Qatari-based cleric who is the “spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood.”[27][28]

In article by LSE (London School Of Economics), Qatar has notified US officials that they do not support Hamas but has called for engagement between Hamas and Fatah.[29] On 27 March 2022, the Fourth High-Level Strategic Dialogue between the State of Qatar & the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) discussed strategic priorities and collaboration for effective United Nations support to Member States on counter-terrorism. Qatar is the second largest contributor to the United Nations Trust Fund for Counter-Terrorism out of a total 35 other donors.[30] The country also removed Muslim brotherhood members during December 2021 as reported by The Economist.[31]

In 2013, one of the founders of the association, Abd Al-Rahman al-Nouami, was named a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the United States Government for his alleged role in facilitating financing and communications for Al-Qaeda affiliates in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Somalia.[32] He was similarly sanctioned by the United Nations, European Union, United Kingdom, and Turkey in 2014, resulting in a freeze of his assets.[33][34][35][36]

While he has denied the allegations, subsequent media reports noted his connection to the government-backed charity and other humanitarian organizations.[37][38][39][40] Furthermore, Sheikh Eid bin Mohammad Al Thani Charitable Association was removed from the terrorist list with other entities and Qatari nationals, which was announced by blockading countries during the Gulf crisis of June 2017.[41][42]

References

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  1. ^ "Sheikh Eid bin Mohammad Al Thani Charitable Association - (مؤسسة الشيخ عيد بن محمد الثاني الخيرية) - Eid Charity Official Site". eidcharity.net. Retrieved 2016-08-01.
  2. ^ a b Holla, Anand (14 June 2015). "'We are trying to reach all the needy people in Qatar'". Gulf Times. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  3. ^ a b c "Treasury Designates Al-Qa'ida Supporters in Qatar and Yemen". www.treasury.gov. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  4. ^ "Qatargas supports Sheikh Eid Charitable Association (14 April 2012)". www.qatargas.com. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
  5. ^ "Eid Charity sends QR1m aid to Aleppo in Syria". thepeninsulaqatar.com. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  6. ^ "QNA | RAF, Eid Charity Support Syrian City of Aleppo". Archived from the original on 2016-11-04.
  7. ^ "Eid Charity unveils winter aid projects for displaced Syrians - Gulf Times". www.gulf-times.com. Retrieved 2015-08-01.
  8. ^ "Leaders of Charity Work Praise the Initiatives of His Highness the Emir for the Relief of the Syrian people-Foundation Raf raf-thani.com". www.raf-thani.com. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
  9. ^ "Eid Charity distributes sacrificial meat to needy people in 35 countries". Gulf-Times (in Arabic). 2016-09-17. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  10. ^ a b "Eid Charity to build 335 mosques across world". thepeninsulaqatar.com. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  11. ^ "Eid Charity implements QR454m development projects last year". thepeninsulaqatar.com. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  12. ^ "QNA | Eid Charity Implements QR454 Million Development Projects through 2015". Archived from the original on 2016-08-18.
  13. ^ "مؤسسة عيد الخيرية - بقيمة 10 ملايين ريال عيد الخيرية تطلق حملة \" أهل الخليج\" لإغاثة الشعب العراقي". Archived from the original on 2018-12-10. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
  14. ^ "الرئيسية". Archived from the original on 2017-02-12. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
  15. ^ Mendick, Robert (2014-10-12). "Al-Qaeda terror financier worked for Qatari government". Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  16. ^ Spencer, David Blair and Richard (2014-09-20). "Former head of human rights charity accused of leading double life as terrorist fundraiser". Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  17. ^ "Qatar: Extremism and Terrorism". Counter Extremism Project. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
  18. ^ "Security Council Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee Adds Fourteen Individuals and Two Entities to Its Sanctions List | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". www.un.org. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  19. ^ Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1058/2014 of 8 October 2014 amending for the 221st time Council Regulation (EC) No 881/2002 imposing certain specific restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities associated with the Al Qaida network, 2014-10-09, retrieved 2019-05-09
  20. ^ "CONSOLIDATED LIST OF FINANCIAL SANCTIONS TARGETS IN THE UK". hmt-sanctions.s3.amazonaws.com. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  21. ^ "Turkey adds more than a dozen names to al-Qaeda list - Turkey News". Hürriyet Daily News. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  22. ^ "Qawim Arabic Website - مجلس أمناء الحملة". Archived from the original on 2016-03-31. Retrieved 2018-12-10.
  23. ^ "الحملة العالمية لمقاومة العدوان تؤكد شمولية المقاومة | أخبار عربي | الجزيرة نت". Aljazeera.net. 2005-02-24. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  24. ^ "Clerics urge new jihad over Gaza". 2009-02-17. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  25. ^ "Alkarama for Human Rights - Home". Archived from the original on 2007-10-23.
  26. ^ a b Warrick, Joby; Root, Tik (2013-12-22). "Islamic charity officials gave millions to al-Qaeda, U.S. says". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-02-21.
  27. ^ "Defense Minister signs order banning Hamas-affiliated charitable organizations". mfa.gov.il. Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 7 July 2008. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  28. ^ "Senior cleric denounces former Egyptian president's death sentence as 'nonsense'". Retrieved 2015-07-10.
  29. ^ "Qatar's Relations with Hamas: Misconceptions and Reality". Middle East Centre. 2023-02-03. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
  30. ^ "Fourth High-Level Strategic Dialogue between the State of Qatar & UNOCT". United Nations. 27 March 2021.
  31. ^ "The Muslim Brotherhood is tearing itself apart". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
  32. ^ "Treasury Designates Al-Qa'ida Supporters in Qatar and Yemen". www.treasury.gov. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
  33. ^ "Security Council Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee Adds Fourteen Individuals and Two Entities to Its Sanctions List | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". www.un.org. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
  34. ^ "EUR-Lex - 32014R1058 - EN - EUR-Lex". eur-lex.europa.eu. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
  35. ^ "Consolidated list of financial sanctions targets in the uk". hmt-sanctions.s3.amazonaws.com. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
  36. ^ "POLITICS - Turkey adds more than a dozen names to al-Qaeda list". Retrieved 2015-07-10.
  37. ^ Kerr, Simeon (20 December 2013). "US sanctions prominent rights activist for alleged al-Qaeda links". Financial Times. ISSN 0307-1766. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
  38. ^ "Al-Qaeda terror financier worked for Qatari government". Retrieved 2015-07-10.
  39. ^ Warrick, Joby; Root, Tik (2013-12-22). "Islamic charity officials gave millions to al-Qaeda, U.S. says". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
  40. ^ "The 'Club Med for terrorists'". Retrieved 2015-07-10.
  41. ^ "الإمارات تعلن إزالة شخصيات وكيانات قطرية من قائمة الإرهاب.. تعرف عليها!". 14 September 2023.
  42. ^ "الإمارات تعلن إزالة شخصيات وكيانات قطرية من قائمة الإرهاب.. تعرف عليها!". 14 September 2023.