EU fraud office investigates aid diversion to bombers

[pistoff democrat]

European Union funds may have been channelled to Palestinian militant groups responsible for the deaths of scores of people in suicide bombings.

The EU's anti-fraud unit and Belgian police are investigating claims that money earmarked for aid was paid to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades through Belgian and German affiliate organisations.

Belgian judicial sources said yesterday that the inquiry began in Aachen in Germany but also involves an organisation based in Verviers, in eastern Belgium.

The allegation is that groups "have asked for European subsidies for some kind of immigrant project and that this was then transferred towards Al-Aqsa", the source said. Al-Aqsa is on the EU's list of banned terrorist organisations.
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http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/story.jsp?story=467594

[drdon326]

1. Shocking !!

A dollar short and a day late.

[Paschall]

2. I believe Stern was also the source...

...of earlier similar charges which were disproven.

But, of course, Israel could forestall any siphoning of funds to terror groups if it were making and controlling the payments as it is required to do under international law.

<snip> With the Palestinian economy in freefall, the International Monetary Fund is appealing for £700m for 3.2m Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The funds are also for the Palestinian Authority which is the main employer and economic mainstay in the occupied territories.

However donor governments are facing demands for funds for Iraq. And there are concerns that international aid for the Palestinians is replacing spending that Israel, the occupying power, is obliged to finance under the Geneva Conventions.

Last night a spokesman for the European commissioner for external relations, Chris Patten, said it was impossible to comment on the latest issue without more details of the case. But he added: "The Commission is the first organisation to be interested in making sure that its funds intended for non-governmental organisations, are not diverted to entities on the EU's terrorist list." </snip>