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| In addition to his work with Hamas and BMI, Sawalha is a frequent guest on the ] television station, and is affiliated with numerous Palestinian and Islamic charities. He has had a hand in organizing several of the ]s and land convoys attempting to reach the ], through which he has transferred financial aid to help the besieged Palestinian people. Sawalha helped found the Muslim Association of Britain and was also requested by the London's Metropolitan Police to become a trustee of the ] Mosque. In addition, he signed the 2009 Istanbul Declaration, which reaffirms resistance as a valid means to oppose Israeli state terrorism, illegal occupation and war crimes against the civilian Palestinian population. | In addition to his work with Hamas and BMI, Sawalha is a frequent guest on the ] television station, and is affiliated with numerous Palestinian and Islamic charities. He has had a hand in organizing several of the ]s and land convoys attempting to reach the ], through which he has transferred financial aid to help the besieged Palestinian people. Sawalha helped found the Muslim Association of Britain and was also requested by the London's Metropolitan Police to become a trustee of the ] Mosque. In addition, he signed the 2009 Istanbul Declaration, which reaffirms resistance as a valid means to oppose Israeli state terrorism, illegal occupation and war crimes against the civilian Palestinian population. | ||
| ==Early life and education== | |||
| Sawalha was born in ], ], in 1961. Sawalha studied religion at ] beginning in 1980.<ref name="Hamas activities in Europe">{{cite web|title=Hamas continues initiating anti-Israeli activities in Europe|url=http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/data/pdf/PDF_10_034_2.pdf|publisher=Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center}}</ref> | |||
| ==Early activities in the West Bank== | |||
| In 1988, after studying at Amman University, Sawalha returned to the West Bank, where he lived in Al-Bireh until 1990. He taught at a religious school in Al-Ram and later at the Islamic college (Kuliyat al-Da’wah) in ] and in ]. | |||
| Sawalha was a senior Hamas activist in the West Bank, and helped establish Hamas' West Bank headquarters in 1989-90. He also instructed regional Hamas commanders to set up resistance networks, establishing links between local operatives who had not yet been detained and operatives in the United States. After the discovery of the resistance infrastructure in the West Bank, Israeli occupation forces targeted him. In October 1990 he managed to escape to Jordan and from there moved on to Britain. He continues to carry out anti-Israeli-occupation activities from there.<ref name="Hamas activities in Europe"/> | |||
| ==Activities in Britain== | ==Activities in Britain== | ||
| During his first years in Britain, Sawalha continued his political activities opposing the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine. He maintained contact with operatives in the United States, Syria and the West Bank. | |||
| He was a founder of the ] (MAB), and ran it from 1999 to 2007. Later he served as chairman of the British Muslim Initiative.<ref name="BMB Leader">{{cite web|title=British Muslim Brotherhood Leader Is Resentful Of "The Evil Jew In Britain"|url=http://globalmbreport.org/?p=958|publisher=The Global Muslim Brotherhood Daily Report}}</ref> He was described on a Palestinian website as head of the International Committee to Lift the Siege on the Gaza Strip.<ref name="Siege on Gaza">{{cite web|title=Sawalha: The Siege on Gaza must end now|url=http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/En/default.aspx?xyz=U6Qq7k%2bcOd87MDI46m9rUxJEpMO%2bi1s7dO2uUIm5o1neBMTu3XfYKwZChuoHbIRFXFIW3DZTgs4%2bf9KmVFwzNtlZzOEhD7qKs8WBqDAVaEDNaRHoCwn2IfgEnKPAYAYy7zGW%2fLqdv8I%3d|publisher=The Palestinian Information Center|access-date=2013-04-09|archive-date=2013-04-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130426044853/http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/en/default.aspx?xyz=U6Qq7k%2bcOd87MDI46m9rUxJEpMO%2bi1s7dO2uUIm5o1neBMTu3XfYKwZChuoHbIRFXFIW3DZTgs4%2bf9KmVFwzNtlZzOEhD7qKs8WBqDAVaEDNaRHoCwn2IfgEnKPAYAYy7zGW%2fLqdv8I%3d|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2009 he reportedly was named deputy chairman of the Popular Committee in Support of the Palestinian People. He also signed the 2009 Istanbul Declaration affirming the Palestinian peoples ] the illegal Israeli occupation of their land.<ref name="British Muslim leader urged">{{cite news|last=Doward|first=Jamie|title=British Muslim leader urged to quit over Gaza|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/08/daud-abdullah-gaza-middle-east|newspaper=The Guardian|date=7 March 2009}}</ref> | He was a founder of the ] (MAB), and ran it from 1999 to 2007. Later he served as chairman of the British Muslim Initiative.<ref name="BMB Leader">{{cite web|title=British Muslim Brotherhood Leader Is Resentful Of "The Evil Jew In Britain"|url=http://globalmbreport.org/?p=958|publisher=The Global Muslim Brotherhood Daily Report}}</ref> He was described on a Palestinian website as head of the International Committee to Lift the Siege on the Gaza Strip.<ref name="Siege on Gaza">{{cite web|title=Sawalha: The Siege on Gaza must end now|url=http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/En/default.aspx?xyz=U6Qq7k%2bcOd87MDI46m9rUxJEpMO%2bi1s7dO2uUIm5o1neBMTu3XfYKwZChuoHbIRFXFIW3DZTgs4%2bf9KmVFwzNtlZzOEhD7qKs8WBqDAVaEDNaRHoCwn2IfgEnKPAYAYy7zGW%2fLqdv8I%3d|publisher=The Palestinian Information Center|access-date=2013-04-09|archive-date=2013-04-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130426044853/http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/en/default.aspx?xyz=U6Qq7k%2bcOd87MDI46m9rUxJEpMO%2bi1s7dO2uUIm5o1neBMTu3XfYKwZChuoHbIRFXFIW3DZTgs4%2bf9KmVFwzNtlZzOEhD7qKs8WBqDAVaEDNaRHoCwn2IfgEnKPAYAYy7zGW%2fLqdv8I%3d|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2009 he reportedly was named deputy chairman of the Popular Committee in Support of the Palestinian People. He also signed the 2009 Istanbul Declaration affirming the Palestinian peoples ] the illegal Israeli occupation of their land.<ref name="British Muslim leader urged">{{cite news|last=Doward|first=Jamie|title=British Muslim leader urged to quit over Gaza|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/08/daud-abdullah-gaza-middle-east|newspaper=The Guardian|date=7 March 2009}}</ref> | ||
| Sawalha has been involved in organizing flotillas and land convoys to the Gaza Strip while in Britain.<ref name="Interview with coordinator">{{cite news|title=Interview with Mohammed Sawalha, Gaza aid flotilla coordinator, London|url=http://gazatvnews.com/2011/06/interview-with-mohammed-sawalha-gaza-aid-flotilla-coordinator-london/|newspaper=Gaza TV News|access-date=2013-04-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120903060806/http://gazatvnews.com/2011/06/interview-with-mohammed-sawalha-gaza-aid-flotilla-coordinator-london/|archive-date=2012-09-03|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="The Mavi Marmara Metaphor">{{cite web|last=Rich|first=Dave|title=ONLINE Only: The Mavi Marmara Metaphor|url=http://standpointmag.co.uk/node/3210/full|publisher=Standpoint|access-date=2013-04-09|archive-date=2013-06-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130630013049/http://standpointmag.co.uk/node/3210/full|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Aid convoy">{{cite news|title=Aid convoy sets off for Gaza|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2010/05/2010522133016818451.html|newspaper=Al Jazeera|date=22 May 2010}}</ref> Additionally, a BBC program alleged that he had directed funds both for Hamas' armed and missionary wings.<ref name="Panorama BBC">{{cite news|title=Faith, hate and charity: Transcript|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/5234586.stm|newspaper=BBC News|date=1 August 2006}}</ref> | Sawalha has been involved in organizing flotillas and land convoys to the Gaza Strip while in Britain.<ref name="Interview with coordinator">{{cite news|title=Interview with Mohammed Sawalha, Gaza aid flotilla coordinator, London|url=http://gazatvnews.com/2011/06/interview-with-mohammed-sawalha-gaza-aid-flotilla-coordinator-london/|newspaper=Gaza TV News|access-date=2013-04-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120903060806/http://gazatvnews.com/2011/06/interview-with-mohammed-sawalha-gaza-aid-flotilla-coordinator-london/|archive-date=2012-09-03|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="The Mavi Marmara Metaphor">{{cite web|last=Rich|first=Dave|title=ONLINE Only: The Mavi Marmara Metaphor|url=http://standpointmag.co.uk/node/3210/full|publisher=Standpoint|access-date=2013-04-09|archive-date=2013-06-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130630013049/http://standpointmag.co.uk/node/3210/full|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Aid convoy">{{cite news|title=Aid convoy sets off for Gaza|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2010/05/2010522133016818451.html|newspaper=Al Jazeera|date=22 May 2010}}</ref> Additionally, a BBC program alleged that he had directed funds both for Hamas' armed and missionary wings.<ref name="Panorama BBC">{{cite news|title=Faith, hate and charity: Transcript|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/5234586.stm|newspaper=BBC News|date=1 August 2006}}</ref> | ||
| Sawalha has been engaged in ] against Israel, which takes advantage of Britain's universal jurisdiction law to file criminal complaints against Israeli officials involved the Israeli regimes war crimes, breach of Geneva Conventions and defiance of UN resolutions.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}} | |||
| ==2004 U.S. indictment of Salah== | ==2004 U.S. indictment of Salah== | ||
| The ] named Sawalha as a co-conspirator in the 2004 indictment of Muhammad Salah.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pogrund |first1=Gabriel |last2=Pfeffer |first2=Anshel |title=Revealed: the Hamas chief who lives in a London council house |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/hamas-chief-lives-london-council-house-uk-phnpsssx5 |access-date=23 October 2023 |date=21 October 2023 |language=en}}</ref> The indictment alleged that Sawalha continued to work for Hamas, holding secret discussions about terrorist acts in Israel, and aiding in the laundering of money to fund Hamas activities in the West Bank and Gaza.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reaidi |first1=Joseph |title=Hamas chief who 'plotted for group' lives in Barnet ex-council house |url=https://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/23873906.hamas-chief-muhammad-sawalha-lives-colindale-house/ |access-date=23 October 2023 |work=Hackney Gazette |date=23 October 2023 |language=en}}</ref> Sawalha reportedly told Salah explicit instructions as to how to dress and behave when distributing funds to local Hamas operatives.<ref name="Panorama BBC"/> | |||
| It further alleged on January 13, 1993, en route from the U.S. to the Middle East, Salah met in London with Sawalha, who instructed Salah to provide money to various Hamas members. Salah was eventually indicted for his Hamas role, and in January 1995 pleaded guilty to participating in Hamas affairs, saying that he had represented Sawalha and had been appointed head of military operations in the West Bank at the request of Abu Marzook and Sawalha. Another allegation mentioned in the indictment noted the provision of $400,000 to one 'Brother Mohammed Kadhim,' an alias for Sawalha.{{cn|date=March 2021}} | |||
| ==Assassination of Sheikh Yassin== | |||
| Sawalha spoke out in 2004 against Israel's ] of ], the spiritual leader of Hamas, saying that Shaykh Ahmad Yassin “lived with his people and died in the service of their cause.”<ref name=Assassination>{{cite news|title=Assassination|newspaper=IRNA|date=24 March 2004}}</ref> | |||
| ==British Muslim Initiative== | ==British Muslim Initiative== | ||
| Sawalha is one of the founders of the ].<ref name="Sent to jail" /> | |||
| Sawalha is one of the founders of the BMI, which describes itself as follows: “Formed by justice, peace and human rights campaigners, the British Muslim Initiative (BMI) is an organisation which seeks to fight racism and Islamophobia, combat the challenges Muslims face around the world, encourage Muslim participation in British public life, and improve relations between the West and the Muslim world.” The BMI supported the ]. | |||
| In 2009, demonstrators protesting the Gaza attacks clashed with police, and nearly all of the handful arrested were Muslims. Sawalha questioned this disproportion, and also questioned the detainees' treatment. He said the BMI “encourages Muslims to express their feelings and ambitions and frustrations only through political and legal processes. But if anything sends the message that Muslims cannot express themselves through political processes, and they will not be dealt with like others, it will give more strength to the fringes within the community who say democracy and the political system doesn't apply to Muslims in this country. This will only increase the frustration and sense of alienation among these people.”<ref name="Sent to jail">{{cite news|title=Sent to jail for throwing a single bottle|url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2010/mar/13/gaza-protesters-sent-prison|newspaper=The Guardian|date=12 March 2010}}</ref> | In 2009, demonstrators protesting the Gaza attacks clashed with police, and nearly all of the handful arrested were Muslims. Sawalha questioned this disproportion, and also questioned the detainees' treatment. He said the BMI “encourages Muslims to express their feelings and ambitions and frustrations only through political and legal processes. But if anything sends the message that Muslims cannot express themselves through political processes, and they will not be dealt with like others, it will give more strength to the fringes within the community who say democracy and the political system doesn't apply to Muslims in this country. This will only increase the frustration and sense of alienation among these people.”<ref name="Sent to jail">{{cite news|title=Sent to jail for throwing a single bottle|url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2010/mar/13/gaza-protesters-sent-prison|newspaper=The Guardian|date=12 March 2010}}</ref> | ||
| Sawalha and the BMI supported the January 2012 developments in ], condemning the ].<ref name="Ghulam Azam">{{cite web|title=BMI condemns state-terrorism in Bangladesh and arrest of prominent leader Ghulam Azam|url=http://bminitiative.net/press-releases/372-bmi-condemns-state-terrorism-in-bangladesh-and-arrestof-%20prominent-leader-ghulam-azam|publisher=BMI}}</ref> | |||
| ==Gaza flotillas== | ==Gaza flotillas== | ||
Revision as of 20:26, 23 October 2023
Mohammad Kathem Rashid Maruf Sawalha (born 21 July 1961), also known by the name Abu Obada, is a former leader of Hamas in the West Bank. He is the president of British Muslim Initiative (BMI) and currently resides in London. He is accused of supervising the allocation and supply of large amounts of money to Hamas operatives, an allegation that led to his being named in a 2004 U.S. indictment against Hamas operative Muhammad Salah.
In addition to his work with Hamas and BMI, Sawalha is a frequent guest on the Al-Hiwar television station, and is affiliated with numerous Palestinian and Islamic charities. He has had a hand in organizing several of the flotillas and land convoys attempting to reach the Gaza Strip, through which he has transferred financial aid to help the besieged Palestinian people. Sawalha helped found the Muslim Association of Britain and was also requested by the London's Metropolitan Police to become a trustee of the Finsbury Park Mosque. In addition, he signed the 2009 Istanbul Declaration, which reaffirms resistance as a valid means to oppose Israeli state terrorism, illegal occupation and war crimes against the civilian Palestinian population.
Activities in Britain
He was a founder of the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), and ran it from 1999 to 2007. Later he served as chairman of the British Muslim Initiative. He was described on a Palestinian website as head of the International Committee to Lift the Siege on the Gaza Strip. In 2009 he reportedly was named deputy chairman of the Popular Committee in Support of the Palestinian People. He also signed the 2009 Istanbul Declaration affirming the Palestinian peoples right to resist the illegal Israeli occupation of their land.
Sawalha has been involved in organizing flotillas and land convoys to the Gaza Strip while in Britain. Additionally, a BBC program alleged that he had directed funds both for Hamas' armed and missionary wings.
2004 U.S. indictment of Salah
The Department of Justice named Sawalha as a co-conspirator in the 2004 indictment of Muhammad Salah. The indictment alleged that Sawalha continued to work for Hamas, holding secret discussions about terrorist acts in Israel, and aiding in the laundering of money to fund Hamas activities in the West Bank and Gaza. Sawalha reportedly told Salah explicit instructions as to how to dress and behave when distributing funds to local Hamas operatives.
British Muslim Initiative
Sawalha is one of the founders of the British Muslim Initiative.
In 2009, demonstrators protesting the Gaza attacks clashed with police, and nearly all of the handful arrested were Muslims. Sawalha questioned this disproportion, and also questioned the detainees' treatment. He said the BMI “encourages Muslims to express their feelings and ambitions and frustrations only through political and legal processes. But if anything sends the message that Muslims cannot express themselves through political processes, and they will not be dealt with like others, it will give more strength to the fringes within the community who say democracy and the political system doesn't apply to Muslims in this country. This will only increase the frustration and sense of alienation among these people.”
Gaza flotillas
After the 2009 Gaza flotilla, Sawalha said that the next convoy would avoid the type of confrontation that had occurred with Egypt: “the confrontation will be directly with the Zionist enemy itself on the high seas.” Sawalha organized the autumn 2010 LifeLine 5 convoy to Gaza, which reportedly delivered $5 million of aid.
References
- Pfeffer, Gabriel Pogrund and Anshel (2023-10-23). "Revealed: the Hamas chief who lives in a London council house". ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
- "British Muslim Brotherhood Leader Is Resentful Of "The Evil Jew In Britain"". The Global Muslim Brotherhood Daily Report.
- "Sawalha: The Siege on Gaza must end now". The Palestinian Information Center. Archived from the original on 2013-04-26. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
- Doward, Jamie (7 March 2009). "British Muslim leader urged to quit over Gaza". The Guardian.
- "Interview with Mohammed Sawalha, Gaza aid flotilla coordinator, London". Gaza TV News. Archived from the original on 2012-09-03. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
- Rich, Dave. "ONLINE Only: The Mavi Marmara Metaphor". Standpoint. Archived from the original on 2013-06-30. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
- "Aid convoy sets off for Gaza". Al Jazeera. 22 May 2010.
- ^ "Faith, hate and charity: Transcript". BBC News. 1 August 2006.
- Pogrund, Gabriel; Pfeffer, Anshel (21 October 2023). "Revealed: the Hamas chief who lives in a London council house". Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- Reaidi, Joseph (23 October 2023). "Hamas chief who 'plotted for group' lives in Barnet ex-council house". Hackney Gazette. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ^ "Sent to jail for throwing a single bottle". The Guardian. 12 March 2010.
- Fendel, Hillel. "Turks helping Hamas prepare Gaza port for "protest flotilla"". Arutz 7 Radio via BBC Monitoring Middle East. May 6, 2010.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - "Sawalha: The Siege on Gaza must end now". The Palestinian Information Center. 22 October 2010. Archived from the original on 10 April 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2013.