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Barclays to shut Ummah Welfare Trust. Why Muslim charities?

ISLAMIC FORUM OF EUROPE

Media Release | 25 December 2008

News that Barclays Bank has served notice to Ummah Welfare Trust has shocked and angered Muslims throughout the UK. Following the decision taken by Lloyds TSB to serve notice on Interpal, the move to also close Ummah Welfare Trust begs the question: why are Muslim charities being targeted?

Muhammad Habibur-Rahman, President of Islamic Forum of Europe (IFE) said "Both Interpal and Ummah Welfare Trust are registered charities, neither has broken any governing laws, and both have been serving tens and thousands of poor and needy people throughout the world. To move to close them down without reason or explanation suggests that Muslim charities are prejudiced against. One wonders if these banks have succumbed to foreign pressure."

In healthy democracies all individuals and organisations should expect fair and equal treatment. IFE calls upon the banks concerned to reconsider their unjust positions and fully support the Muslim Council of Britain's call for Prime Minister Gordon Brown to intervene in order to ensure that all charities are afforded the same facilities and treatment as other British institutions.

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Notes to editors…

Article ref no: ATC401, 27 Dec 2008

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