The Muslim News - Charity Commission denies targeting Muslim

Issue 224, Friday 21 December 2007 - 11 Dhu al-Hijjah 1428

Charity Commission denies targeting Muslim

By Elham Asaad Buaras

The Charity Commission has vehemently denied suggestions made by Prime Minister Gordon Brown that the objective of its new Faith and Social Cohesion Unit will be primarily to stop Muslim charities from being “exploited by extremists”.
A spokeswoman for the Charity Commission told The Muslim News, “It is absolutely not true that new Unit will aim exclusively on one faith or will fight extremism.”
Brown asserted in his national security speech on November 14, that the new Unit will “ensure that charities are not exploited by extremists”.
Although partially funded by a grant from the Department of Communities and Local Government as part of the Government’s preventing and tackling of extremism in the Muslim community, the Commission distanced its new Unit from “any political statements”.
Chair of the Commission, Dame Suzi Leather, reiterated that although the “new Unit will focus initially on Muslim organisations” it will do so because “not only is Islam Britain’s second largest faith, but time and time again Muslim charities have asked us for help in strengthening their governance.”
The Charity Commission insists its new Unit, launched in November, was a product of a two year programme of workshops with representatives from over 800 faith-based organisations across 11 different faiths. The spokeswoman added, “We’ve worked in a wider and board level with many Muslim Organisations including Mosques and Imams National Advisory Body and the Muslim Council of Britain.”

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