HUNDREDS OF TORTURE VICTIMS SUE QATAR FOR COMPENSATION

▶ Group of 330 Syrian refugees say Doha Bank and senior businessmen helped fund Al Qaeda affiliate

Qatar is facing legal action from 330 Syrian refugees who accuse the country of funding the Al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group that tortured them.

The claimants, many of whom now live in the UK, took their case to the High Court in London and are awaiting the outcome of a similar hearing involving eight refugees.

They are seeking damages against the state- run Doha Bank and two wealthy Qatari businessmen, brothers Moutaz and Ramez Al Khayyat.

The claimants said they suffered “severe physical and psychiatric injuries” at the hands of terrorist group Al Nusra Front, and that the brothers used accounts at Doha Bank to channel extensive funds to Al Nusra militants during the Syrian civil war.

“There is a pending application before the court to add 330 additional claimants, who are resident in various parts of Europe, including a substantial number resident in the UK,” the court papers show.

“The claimants and potential claimants are victims of terrorism perpetrated by the Al Nusra Front in Syria and have been victims of a range of grave human rights violations, including torture, summary and arbitrary execution and other violations of the right to life. They allege that the three defendants together operated a clandestine route for the funding of Al Nusra on behalf of the Emir of Qatar, Tamim Al Thani and the state of Qatar.

“It is their case that the state of Qatar, and all three defendants, operated a system to channel funds secretly to Al Nusra in Syria. The operation of this funding system was, in itself, an act of terrorism, since it amounted to the preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism.”

The hearing for the first group of claimants was halted this week after the UK’s counter-terrorism unit launched an investigation into claims Qatar bribed, harassed and threatened witnesses and planted illegal tracking devices on their cars.

Four claimants withdrew their allegations because of alleged ongoing threats.

Jason McCue, of legal firm McCue & Partners, told The National he was confident the British court will ensure the hundreds of claimants who have come forward will receive a fair trial.

Doha Bank’s chairman and several directors are members of Qatar’s ruling Al Thani family. The bank’s legal team called the claims “wild accusations”. A representative for the Khayyat brothers told The National that the pair deny all charges.