Fingers point to Qatar as sponsor of terror

The army has found that "Qatar had funded terrorism and transformed the foreign communities in the country into terrorist cells."

Published: Wed 31 May 2017, 12:37 PM

Updated: Wed 31 May 2017, 2:43 PM

By
Mustafa Al Zarooni

This is no secret that Qatar hatched many conspiracies against the Arab region. These resulted in the recall of respective ambassadors by Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain from Doha in 2014 in protest against its attitude.
Later an agreement - Riyadh Charter - was signed between Doha and the GCC countries, but Doha violated the document. Qatar went on to support terrorism and hostile elements such as the Muslim Brotherhood and Iran, whose relations with the GCC are extremely tensed.

Doha must stop interference in GCC, Arab affairsThe Riyadh Document stated that Qatar must stop its interference in the domestic affairs of the GCC and Arab countries.
It also states that all hostile elements must be moved away from the GCC states, especially the Muslim brotherhood group.
According to the Riyadh document, Qatar must cease using its media to stir and instigate the opposition parties at neighboring countries. It also must stop supporting the Muslim brotherhood group
Qatar was also told to stop granting citizenship to citizens of the other GCC states, and was told to stop incitement against Egypt.

Qatar's involvement in the nefarious activities also came to light when the Head of the Libyan National Army Field Marshall, Khalifa Haftar, directly accused Qatar and other countries of supporting terrorists in Libya by financing extremist groups.
Haftar said in a statement issued on Monday that the army has found that "Qatar had funded terrorism and transformed the foreign communities in the country into terrorist cells." He added that some of these people received "money from Qatar as well as from other countries and terrorist groups inside Libya."
"Qatar allows persons to raise funds publicly for the extremist groups, and some of those have legal immunity from Doha", said a report run by the New York Post.
The New York Post report quoted a former expert in terrorism financing at the US treasury department as saying that Qatar is simply refusing imposing rules of the treasury against financing the terrorist groups.
Saudi Arabic daily Okaz in its Tuesday edition quoted Iraqi sources that the Qatari foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed Abdul Rahman Al Thani met Iraq Prime minister Haidar Al Abadi in Baghdad last week and asked him to transfer $500 million to release the Qatari prisoners, and the cash as gift from Doha to support the popular mobilisation militias in Iraq.
Moreover, security forces had found $500 million, the biggest amounts of cash at Baghdad airport, bundled in 23 bags and were carried on-board a Qatari flight to set free 24 Qataris, including the members of the Royal family, abducted by Shia militias in Iraq.
Al Abadi uncovered the $500 million ransom story, indicating in a secret document that Qatar asked the Iraqi government for permission for landing a plane at the Baghdad airport on April 15, 2017, to shift the released Qataris.
Al Abadi added that the airport officials were surprised to find 23 heavy bags containing money transported on the plane. There was no prior approval for the bags nor had the Iraq authorities been informed about the same.
Al Abadi pointed out that the Baghdad airport officials discovered the money after the bags had been screened in the airport.
He said a special envoy of the Amir of Qatar was on board the plane that landed at Baghdad airport. However, the envoy did not request diplomatic immunity for the bags.
While the Qatar's foreign ministry expressed its astonishment about the Abadi's statements regarding the kidnapped fishermen in Iraq, the ministry confirmed that the Iraqi government knew about the money.
Qatar asserted that $500 million belonged to the Qatar's treasury, and must be returned to it, because it was the property of the Qatari people.
According to Saudi Okaz Arabic daily, the Amir of Qatar - before he turned against the Riyadh declaration - had pledged his flagrant siding for Iran and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
The Amir also delegated his foreign minister to Baghdad, who met with Al Abadi. The envoy told Al Abadi that Amir of Qatar did not want the $500 million, which he said was a gift from Qatar to support the popular mobilisation militias.
malzarooni@khalrrjtimes.com