Police train guns on Saudi charities now

NEW DELHI: Islamic outfits receiving funds from Saudi charities have come under the scanner. This follows directions from the Union government, which appears convinced that subversive activities are receiving funds from foreign sources.

Saudi charities have been under global watch after the jehadi attack on the US. With oil revenues growing, Saudi Arabia, which promotes Wahhabi form of Islam, has been channeling billions of dollars to mosques and madrassas thourghout the world.

The Saudi government iself had admitted sometime ago that it gives $12 billion annually to Muslim charities. There have been allegatrions that wealthy Saudis and charities controlled by them have been providing funds for terror groups working against the US, UK and several South Asian governments.

The Saudi Kingdom, for instance, contributes hefty amounts for the operations of CAIR, which has been backing the activities of Palestinean groups and Hamas. The security agencies here have been successful in tracking the flow of terror funds.

Following the attack on the Sankatmochan temple at Varanasi, the agencies had zeroed in on a group — Ahle Hadis Jamaat al-Salahya — and this organisation happened to be a beneficiary of the Saudi charity. However, there are doubts whether the security agencies would get adequate elbow room to act against organisations operating out of madrasas in nothern India.

One of the reports prepared by the agencies has pointed to the growth of madrasas in the border regions of the country. According to the report, there has been a significant increase in the number of such institutions on the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bangladesh borders.

Officials of the security agencies said terror outfits have been successful in converting many of these institutions into fertile recruitment centres. The country’s senior-most security strategists had on Saturday acknowledged that nation has entered a “dangerous phase” as terror outfits have been successful in getting logistical support from local groups.

The government is expected to take up the issue with the Saudi authrorities. Although they have been pledging support, there’s nothing on the ground to suggest that it has turned off the tap.