The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into an Islamic humanitarian aid charity following allegations that some within it have been involved in supporting fighters in Syria.
The regulator opened an investigation into Al-Fatiha Global on 21 March, a few days after The Sun ran a front-page storyalleging Adniel Ali, who it described as Al-Fatiha's chief executive but who the charity says was a volunteer, was in Syria supporting rebel fighters. An image run alongside the story appeared to show Ali embracing masked fighters brandishing AK47s. Al Fatiha has categorically denied any involvement in criminal activity or fighting.
The charity has since suspended Ali, but has criticised the Commission for launching a statutory inquiry and announced its intention to appeal the decision to hold the inquiry.
In a statement, the charity said: "While we understand the pressures the Charity Commission is under from the security services and the media to be seen to be clamping down on Muslim involvement in aid to Syria, we do not agree that a formal inquiry is the best way forward to address any issues identified.
"We have been co-operating with the Commission and been providing information they required to address any administrative shortcomings or concerns."
The charity said that the investigation placed an undue burden on the work of its volunteers in trying to provide aid to people in need in Syria.
The statutory inquiry is investigating whether individuals associated with the charity have been “supporting armed or other inappropriate activities in Syria”. The charity has been monitored by the Commission since 2013.
The Commission is also looking into whether trustees have been accounting income and expenditure at the charity correctly in accordance with their responsibilities.
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