Congressmen Call for Report on Qatar’s Links to Terrorism

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Qatar has been the X factor in the Arab Spring.

Its heavy investments in Europe and aggressive backing of terrorist groups from Hamas to the Muslim Brotherhood to ISIS has had a major impact on the region. It’s an impact that no one talks about because Qatar, like Saudi Arabia, is officially an ally.

But this is an important first step.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Tuesday urged the Treasury Department take additional measures to sanction individuals and groups – including countries – providing financial and material support to Hamas.

24 of the 29 members of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and its Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade blasted regional players – including Iran, Qatar, and Turkey – for supporting the Palestinian terror group and called on the Treasury Department to take “all necessary measures” against the offending countries.

Tuesday’s letter demanded that Treasury produce a report detailing the level of support within Qatar for terrorist groups.

Both Qatar and Turkey have since the beginning of the year found themselves engulfed by scandals linked to their consolidation – along with Sunni extremist groups including the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, Al Qaeda, and ISIS – into one of three regional blocs.

If nothing else, it serves notice to Qatar that its shield is failing.

The letter concludes by asking Treasury to produce “specific public updates on Treasury’s discussions with the Qatari government on previously designated, Qatar-based terrorist financiers that the Qataris have yet to act upon.”

That information should be interesting.

The signers are bipartisan. It’s hard to think of anything else that could get both Joe Wilson and Alan Grayson on board.

  • rodger the dodger

    Don’t worry – Qatar financed and owns the tallest building in Europe, they own Harrods, have put in a second bid on Canary Wharf in London (like buying the whole of Wall Street), bought the biggest bullring in Barcelona and intend to turn it into a 40k capacity mosque, are spending €200m building a giant mosque in Dublin, as well as owing huge stakes in many european businesses.

    Nothing to see here – move along, now, move along…

  • Bamaguje

    As evident from the recent Israel-Gaza war, Obama administration itself supports Hamas. So how can it call Qatar, Turkey and Iran to order?