[JNV Announce] Action Alert: Corporate Islamophobia against Muslim NGO

[JNV]

1) CORPORATE ISLAMOPHOBIA: 'The Friends of Al-Aqsa' ACTION ALERT
2) PALESTINE SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN ACCOUNT ALSO CANCELLED

1) CORPORATE ISLAMOPHOBIA: 'The Friends of Al-Aqsa' ACTION ALERT

a) Action: Email the Royal Bank of Scotland
b) The Friends of Al-Aqsa statement from their website
c) Guardian article 3 January 2005
d) Bank of England notice regarding the Al-Aqsa Foundation (completely separate organisation)

Dear all

Today the Guardian reported that a Muslim non-governmental organisation based in Britain is having its bank account closed by the Royal Bank of Scotland in a unilateral and unjustified manner. No explanation has been given by the bank, but it seems that 'The Friends of Al-Aqsa' is being treated as though it was a terrorist-connected organisation. No evidence has been produced that The Friends of Al-Aqsa has any such connections, no charges have been laid, and the Government has not taken any action to suggest that such connections. 

Despite this, the accounts of the organisation itself and its chairperson are to be closed on 14 January 2005.

Please email the RBS immediately to complain.

Yours for peace

Maya Evans
Milan Rai

Note: It's possible that 'The Friends of Al-Aqsa' is being confused with the completely separate organisation the 'Al-Aqsa Foundation', which has had its bank accounts frozen by order of the US Government for suspected terrorist links.

a) ACTION: Email the Royal Bank of Scotland

Please write firmly but politely to the Royal Bank of Scotland asking them to keep open the bank accounts of The Friends of Al-Aqsa, and its chairman Ismail Patel, and to lift their threat to close these accounts on 14 January. 

You may wish to point out to the RBS that there is no outstanding legal action against The Friends of Al-Aqsa, and that the organisation is said to have a good financial record with the bank. In these circumstances, the closure of these organisational and personal bank accounts appears to be an act of corporate political censorship which contributes to public fear and hatred of Islam. 

The Friends of Al-Aqsa add: 'If you are not satisfied at the response of the bank and if you have an account with these banks (RBS includes NatWest and Ulster Bank), you may wish to review your banking arrangements before more Muslim organisations and institutes are affected.' (Incidentally, RBS also includes Churchill Insurance, Tesco Personal Finance, and the internet payment system WorldPay.)
 
According to the Friends of Al-Aqsa, the bank can be contacted on the following address:

Email: rajnish.bhardwaj@rbs.co.uk
 
PLEASE REMEMBER TO BE POLITE 
We are trying to get this account reinstated.


b) The Friends of Al-Aqsa statement from their website

http://www.aqsa.org.uk/

The Friends of Al-Aqsa is a non-profit making organisation with voluntary staff concerned with the defence of basic human rights of Palestinians as supported by various international groups and organisations. It also stands for the protection and safety of Al-Aqsa Haram Sharif (The First Qibla) in Al Quds (Jerusalem).

Friends of Al Aqsa Bank Account Closed

3 January 2005

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group (which includes Nat West Bank) has closed the bank account of Friends of Al-Aqsa, and its chairman Ismail Patel's personal and business accounts. 
 
This unilateral action by the bank has no legal basis and has come as a shock to us. FoA has been a customer of RBS since its inception some ten years ago and has hitherto had excellent relations with the bank. RBS has refused to enter into discussions and is hiding behind terms like commercial decision and states in its letter it is unwilling to enter into any further discussion. FoA has been given 30 days from December 15 to find alternative banking arrangements.
 
The Friends of Al-Aqsa bank account and that of its Chairman has always been in credit and no accusations of unethical activity has ever been made by the bank or the police. FoA has contacted Scotland Yard and they have assured FoA they have not asked the bank to close our accounts. The fact that a bank can act with such impunity has worrying implications for everyone in this country.
 
Friends of Al-Aqsa suspects that the banks decision is purely political since Friend of Al-Aqsa has always been in credit. The wider implications of RBS actions for Muslims and all active political organisation is of great concern in this era of the anti-terrorism act, where anyone bearing a Muslim title is fair game.
 
It appears the Royal Bank of Scotland and Nat West are being used as tools against those that express sympathy with Israels victims. No bank or institute should be allowed to get away with such anti-Palestinian or anti-Muslim actions.
 

c) Guardian article 3 January 2005

Palestinian aid groups' accounts closed

Faisal al Yafai
Monday January 3, 2005
The Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1382302,00.html
or
http://tinyurl.com/64buu

Two British organisations set up to help the Palestinian people have had their bank accounts abruptly closed without explanation, the Guardian has learned. Neither is proscribed by the government, and both claim that their targeting is political.

The groups, Friends of Al-Aqsa (FoAA) and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign [see next section], have been asked to find alternative banking arrangements, even though neither appears on watch lists held by the Home Office or the Bank of England. The head of FoAA has also had his personal and business accounts closed. 

Ismail Patel, chair of the Leicester-based FoAA, said he returned from holiday this week to find a letter from the Royal Bank of Scotland saying a review had been conducted and the bank was no longer willing to provide him with facilities. He was given 30 days to transfer his three accounts. 

"It came out of the blue. There's nothing I can think of that I've done differently," he said. "I was shocked by the letter." 

Mr Patel said he had held his personal and business accounts with the bank for more than 20 years and the FoAA account for 10, without incident. He had never even been overdrawn or had any complaints from the Royal Bank of Scotland. 

"I think it is a political decision - they do not think it's favourable to be associated with those of us working for the victims of Israel," said Mr Patel. 

RBS said it was not obliged to discuss reasons for closing an account, and stressed due notice was offered. It declined to discuss an individual case. 

Mr Patel fears his organisation may have been mistaken for one with a similar name. 

The Bank of England asks all banks to freeze the accounts of people and organisations subject to financial sanctions. Although neither Mr Patel nor FoAA appear on the watch list, a group called the Al-Aqsa Foundation, based in the Netherlands, is named on it. 

"I would have thought they would have looked at it and told us at least. It's absurd. Without the bank disclosing their reasons we don't know anything," said Mr Patel, who is now consulting lawyers. 

FoAA estimates that it will cost more than £10,000 in lost subscriptions and reprinting costs.


d) Bank of England notice regarding the Al-Aqsa Foundation (completely separate organisation)

News Release - Terrorist Financing: List of Suspects 29 May 2003
http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/pressreleases/2003/059.htm

The Bank of England, as agent for Her Majesty's Treasury, has today directed financial institutions that any funds which they hold for or on behalf of Al-Aqsa Foundation (full identifying details provided below) must be frozen. This is because the Treasury have reasonable grounds for suspecting that Al-Aqsa Foundation is or may be a person who commits, attempts to commit, facilitates or participates in the commission of acts of terrorism.

Financial institutions are requested to check whether they maintain any accounts for the organisation named below and, if so, they should freeze the accounts and report their findings to the Bank of England.


2) PALESTINE SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN ACCOUNT ALSO CANCELLED


a) Intro

This actually happened in July 2004 (you can read the whole story below). If you'd like to protest, the Alliance & Leicester Registered and Group Head Office is 

Alliance & Leicester plc, Carlton Park, Narborough, Leicester LE19 0AL
Main tel: 0116 201 1000
Main fax: 0116 200 4040

On the other hand, you might just take this opportunity to join the PSC:

http://www.palestinecampaign.org/


b) Guardian article 3 January 2005

Palestinian aid groups' accounts closed
(last section)

Faisal al Yafai
Monday January 3, 2005
The Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1382302,00.html
or
http://tinyurl.com/64buu

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign also had its account withdrawn, by the Alliance & Leicester. 

Zoe Mars, the treasurer for the PSC, said that at the end of 2003 the group sent £750 to a medical charity in Palestine. Five months later it got a letter from its bank saying the transaction had been interrupted by the US treasury, which wanted more information on the transfer. 

The money eventually went through, but three months later, in July 2004, the bank decided to close its account. 

"We wondered if that worried them and they feared they'd be accused of money laundering," said Ms Mars. "They might have thought, this is more trouble than it's worth. Anything to do with Palestine just raises fears." 

A bank spokesperson said it would not discuss its reasons but added: "I can assure you ... that the Alliance & Leicester has not closed any accounts for racial or political reasons." 

The PSC has written to its members asking them to transfer their standing orders, but so far only half have done so.