A BRITISH charity alleged to have links with a banned terrorist organisation will be condemned by the Charity Commission today for misusing millions of pounds.
Iran Aid raised £5 million a year in Britain to help orphans and other refugees whose families opposed the Tehran regime. But after a two-year investigation, the commission will say in a report published today that it could find no verifiable evidence that the money reached orphans in Iran.
During its investigation, the commission said it received claims the charity was linked to Mujaheddin el Khalq (MKO) — an organisation proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2001 after September 11.
The commission did not pursue this line of inquiry but concentrated on trying to find evidence that the money raised by Iran Aid was used for charitable purposes. Iran Aid’s trustees have consistently denied any links with terrorist organisations and they remain under police investigation.
The commission’s investigation was hampered by a sit-in at Iran Aid’s offices in Barnet, north London, from October 1998 until June 2000. The commission said a number of documents were destroyed at the end of the sit-in.
Simon Gillespie, director of operations and the commission, told The Times: “During the course of our investigation ... Iran Aid have not been able to show how they spent the money. Where they said they were operating in Iran, there were other charities who would have seen it but did not.”
Iran Aid has been wound up and its assets, amounting to £448,000, transferred to a new organisation, the Iran Aid Foundation, set up to help genuine refugees.
Mujaheddin el Khalq was among 25 groups to have assets frozen on November 5, when Gordon Brown said: “Those named ... have committed or pose a real risk of committing or funding acts of terrorism.”
Iran Aid raised £5 million a year in Britain to help orphans and other refugees whose families opposed the Tehran regime. But after a two-year investigation, the commission will say in a report published today that it could find no verifiable evidence that the money reached orphans in Iran.
During its investigation, the commission said it received claims the charity was linked to Mujaheddin el Khalq (MKO) — an organisation proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2001 after September 11.
The commission did not pursue this line of inquiry but concentrated on trying to find evidence that the money raised by Iran Aid was used for charitable purposes. Iran Aid’s trustees have consistently denied any links with terrorist organisations and they remain under police investigation.
The commission’s investigation was hampered by a sit-in at Iran Aid’s offices in Barnet, north London, from October 1998 until June 2000. The commission said a number of documents were destroyed at the end of the sit-in.
Simon Gillespie, director of operations and the commission, told The Times: “During the course of our investigation ... Iran Aid have not been able to show how they spent the money. Where they said they were operating in Iran, there were other charities who would have seen it but did not.”
Iran Aid has been wound up and its assets, amounting to £448,000, transferred to a new organisation, the Iran Aid Foundation, set up to help genuine refugees.
Mujaheddin el Khalq was among 25 groups to have assets frozen on November 5, when Gordon Brown said: “Those named ... have committed or pose a real risk of committing or funding acts of terrorism.”
