The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Dundee-born Muslim convert in terror dossier
Man has been placed on Canada’s ‘specially designated global terrorist’ list
Dundee-born Muslim convert James McLintock has been included in a fresh terror dossier submitted to the Canadian Senate.
The former Lawside Academy pupil’s alleged support of terrorist groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan formed part of ex-FBI counter-terrorism analyst Matthew Levitt’s testimony to the National Security and Defence Committee.
McLintock, 53, who changed his name to Yaqoob Mansoor Al-Rashidi, is president of the Al Rahmah Welfare Organisation (RWO), which the US Treasury alleges has been providing money for al Qaida, the Taliban, Lashkar-e-Taiba and other Afghan extremist groups under the guise of helping orphans.
He was last year put on the department’s “specially designated global terrorist” list, which freezes any property he has within US jurisdiction and bans Americans from doing business with him.
Mr Levitt – director of the Washington Institute’s Stein Programme on Counter-terrorism and Intelligence – said the charitable sector can be “uniquely vulnerable” to the misuse and abuse of funds by nature of the work that is carried out.
He said: “Saudi Arabia and the United States jointly acted against the Al-Furqan Foundation Welfare Trust in May 2015. In addition to supporting al Qaida, the Treasury also called out Al-Furqan for aiding the Taliban and the Pakistani jihadist group Lashkar-e-Taiba.
“Less than a year later, the United States and Saudi Arabia again took joint action against four individuals and two organisations for supporting the same three terrorist groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
“Among those sanctioned was the Scottish-born jihadist James McLintock and the Al-Rahmah Welfare Organisation (RWO), of which McLintock was the president, CEO and chairman.
“According to the Treasury Department, RWO and other associated outfits received ‘large amounts of money from British donors who were not aware of the NGOs’ (Non-Governmental Organisation) Taliban ties’.
“Although the Treasury statement cited McLintock for supporting a variety of terrorist groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan, he also appeared to be involved in Syria.”
McLintock has “categorically denied” allegations made by the US Treasury that his Pakistani orphanage is providing money for extremist groups.
The US Treasury said McLintock received about $180,000 from donors in Britain between April 2011 and April 2012 and also received money from charities in the Persian Gulf and the UK.