Probe launched into British Muslim charity over alleged links to Hamas

The foundation has also claimed more than £9million from HMRC in Gift Aid, the tax relief scheme which allows charities to claim back tax on eligible donations.

In a statement last night, the Charity Commission said it had received a complaint in July claiming the foundation and its partners had links to Hamas.

After initially launching a probe to investigate the claims, the commission has now “escalated its engagement to a statutory inquiry”.

The inquiry centres around Mohammad Yousef Hasna, who works for a Gaza aid group the Al-Khair Foundation works with.

Mr Hasna, 45, who also goes by “Orhan Korkmaz” and “Abu al-Baraa”, was arrested in the UK on July 31 on suspicion of terrorism offences.

The Metropolitan Police’s counter terrorism unit has also launched an investigation into allegations of potential terrorism funding.

It carried out raids on two addresses in Croydon on July 31, the same day Mr Hasna was arrested by the National Crime Agency.

He is currently in custody in the UK awaiting an extradition hearing later this month, according to The Telegraph.

In the US, he has also been charged with conspiring to provide material support to Hamas.

US prosecutors have made a string of allegations against Mr Hasna and the foundation itself, including labelling it a “Sham Charity”, which it denies.

Further American charges lodged against Mr Hasna include conspiring to finance terrorism and financing terrorism.

Those, and the earlier charge, all carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

In a statement, the US Department of Justice alleged Mr Hasna worked closely with senior Hamas leader Ghazi Hamad, a member of Hamas’s governing body, since at least 2023.

The Charity Commission has said it will be verifying Mr Hasna’s connection to the Al-Khair Foundation as well as wider allegations made about the group.

The foundation recorded an income of over £74million in the financial year ending July 31, 2025.

“Due to the concerns of possible serious risk to charitable funds, the Commission has issued a legal order restricting certain financial transactions by the charity without the Commission’s prior consent,” a statement from the Charity Commission says.

Its statutory probe will probe four things:

• The nature and extent of the charity’s links to Mr Hasna;
• Whether trustees have carried out appropriate checks and due diligence on international partners;
• Whether trustees are effectively monitoring the end use of funds internationally and have appropriate policies and procedures in place to protect funds from risk of misuse;
• Whether any failings or weaknesses identified in the administration of the Charity are a result of misconduct and/or mismanagement by the trustees.

In a statement after Mr Hasna’s arrest, the Al-Khair Foundation said: “Al Khair Foundation is aware that Mohammad Yousef Hasna, an employee of one of our implementing partner organisations overseas, was detained during a visit to the United Kingdom on July 31 on suspicion of terrorism offences.”

While after the Charity Commission probe was launched, it said it was “cooperating fully with the statutory inquiry launched by the Charity Commission of England and Wales on August 5, 2026, in light of the detention of Mohammad Yousef Hasna and the serious allegations against him.

“Mr Hasna is employed by one of our implementing partners involved in delivering humanitarian aid in Gaza.

“We are cooperating with the Commission’s inquiry with a view to answering questions posed, addressing concerns raised, and taking remedial action if needed.

“We filed a Serious Incident Report with the Commission about this matter before it launched its inquiry.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism policing London unit said: “Officers from CTP London are investigating potential terrorism funding allegations linked to the UK-based charity Al-Khair Foundation.

“As part of this investigation, officers carried out two search warrants at addresses in the Croydon area on Friday, July 31.

“No arrests have been made in connection with this investigation. Inquiries are ongoing and we also remain in contact with the Charity Commission in relation to this matter.

“We are also aware of an arrest and investigation led by US authorities into allegations against a UK-based individual linked to funding of a terrorist organisation.

“The FBI are leading the investigation in relation to that individual, although CTP London remains in contact with colleagues in the US over this matter.”

In statements, the group has said: “Al-Khair Foundation is a humanitarian organisation established in 2003.

“We are a proudly British, UK-registered charity with a distinguished record spanning more than two decades of delivering humanitarian assistance and alleviating poverty and suffering in more than 75 countries worldwide.

“We take our responsibility to safeguard the funds entrusted to us by our generous donors with the utmost seriousness and are committed to ensuring they are used for their intended humanitarian purposes.

“We are committed to delivering humanitarian assistance in accordance with our charitable objectives, humanitarian principles and all applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

“Our work is guided by Islamic values of compassion, integrity and service to those most in need.

In its second statement, the group said: “We work in some of the world’s most challenging and complex environments, where communities face conflict, displacement, famine and natural disasters.

“These conditions can create significant operational challenges but our sole purpose is always to save lives, alleviate suffering, and help people build a brighter future – regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion or political affiliation.

“Everywhere we work we are firmly committed to ensuring that the funds entrusted to us by our generous donors are used for their intended purpose: meeting the humanitarian needs of poor and marginalised people in the communities we serve.

“Al-Khair Foundation is deeply committed to supporting those in need in Gaza. Our significant support over many years has included providing food parcels, hot meals, clean water, medical aid, shelter materials, winter assistance, and orphan and family support.

“Our programmes have helped sustain large numbers of vulnerable families, reduce hunger, and maintain lifesaving assistance in exceptionally difficult conditions.

“In Gaza and around the world we work hard to maintain robust governance, compliance and oversight processes designed to help ensure that aid reaches its intended beneficiaries.”