Qatar’s exemption from Schengen visa carries ‘security risk’

LONDON - The Intelligence services of some European countries are raising the alarm bell over the growing influence of Qatar’s ruling class in various parts of Europe.

The decision to exempt Qataris from Schengen visa raised serious suspicions over Qatar's relationship with leading Muslim Brotherhood activists and the support it provides to radical Islamist organisations.

A Spanish anti-terrorist expert told Alatayar.com that the decision not to require a visa to enter the Schengen area of ​​the European Union carried a security risk.

“Some of the most radicalised members of Islamist groups can move with some freedom on European soil,” warned the expert.

A British financial expert, who spoke on condition of anonymity, questioned Qatar’s motives behind its multi-billion-dollar investments in European banks besides its financial institutions operating in Europe.

“Europe needs to assess Qatar’s credibility in investing in European banks or opening its own banks that could be used to channel money to Islamist organisations,” said the British expert.

“European banks are going through tough times amid an economic slowdown in the continent, which pushes them to seek more investments. Qatar has certainly the financial means to invest in them. But what will be the consequences?”, he asked.

British newspaper The Times reported in August that British-based Al Rayan Bank controlled by Qatar was providing financial services to several British organisations linked to Islamists. 

The Times said that  Al Rayan Bank was providing banking services to 15 controversial Islamic organisations, including at least four – a mosque and three charities - which have had their accounts with western banks frozen or closed in a security clampdown.

Among Al Rayan Bank’s customers are a charity banned in the United States as a terrorist entity, groups that promote hardline preachers and London’s Finsbury Park Mosque whose long-term trustee is a Hamas leader.

Al Rayan, Britain’s oldest and largest Islamic bank, is 70 per cent owned by Qatar’s second-largest bank, Masraf Al Rayan, whose biggest stakeholders are institutions run by the Qatari state while the other 30 per cent is owned by an investment arm of the emirate’s sovereign wealth fund.

A recent investigation by French journalists revealed that Nectar Trust, which is an Al Rayan customer, had received more than £37 million since 2014 from Doha-based Qatar Charity that was allegedly used to fund multimillion-pound Brotherhood-linked projects in Britain and France.

Qatar Charity, which is the largest charity in Qatar, renamed its European arm Qatar Charity UK in 2017 as Nectar Trust in order to conceal its suspicious activities after growing allegations of its involvement in financing Islamists and to avoid suspicions from international banks.

In 2008, Qatar Charity was listed in as priority III terrorism support entity (TSE) by the Interagency Intelligence Committee on Terrorism, according to a US diplomatic cable released by Wikileaks.

Last August, eight Syrians lodged a claim against Doha Bank in the High Court in London for substantial loss and damage, including severe physical and psychiatric injuries, destruction of property, loss of profits and forcible displacement from their homes in Syria at the hands of jihadist terrorist group al-Nusra Front.

Payments of large sums were made through Doha Bank into accounts in Turkey and/or Lebanon where the money was withdrawn and then carried out over the border with Syria where it was used to fund al-Nusra Front, formerly al Qaeda's official Syrian affiliate, which caused loss and damage to the claimants who now live in Europe, said the claim.

Two years ago, Counter Extremism Project, a US non-profit organisation, warned companies to do business with the Qatari government.

It alleged that the tiny Gulf emirate harboured terrorists and was a funder of extremist groups.

“Qatar has a long history of providing support for extremism and terrorism, including but not limited to vast financial and material support to internationally designated terrorist groups and willing accommodation of internationally designated or wanted terrorist leaders and financiers,” Counter Extremism Project CEO Mark Wallace wrote in a letter sent to several companies worldwide.

Wallace accused Doha of offering financial support, either directly or indirectly, to Hamas, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and Taliban.

Qatar is the subject of a two-year Saudi-led economic embargo including bans on direct air, land and sea travel between the boycotting nations and Qatar, as well as sanctions after accusing Doha of sponsoring terrorism.

Although Qatar has repeatedly denied backing or funding terror groups, western diplomats have accused it of allowing the funding of some Sunni extremists, including al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria.