Britain blacklists Qatari as Al Qaeda financier

The decision comes as members of the anti-ISIL coalition are aiming to curb donations from Gulf citizens.

ABU DHABI // Britain has blacklisted a Qatari national that allegedly sent more than $2 million a month to Al Qaeda.

Abd Al Rahman bin Umayr Al Nuaymi was already blacklisted by the United States when the British treasury said he was added to a financial sanctions list in a notice dated Friday.

British banks are now barred from dealing with him and must freeze his assets.

Mr Al Nuayami – who is accused of sending funds to Al Qaeda in Iraq – was added to the US list of “Specially Designated Global Terrorists” 10 months ago. Al Qaeda in Iraq was the predecessor to ISIL.

The move comes as members of the anti-ISIL coalition are aiming to clamp down on donations from Gulf citizens that go to extremist groups in Iraq and Syria.

Recently, the United Nations designated a number of Gulf citizens as backers of ISIL and Jabhat Al Nusra, the Al Qaeda branch in Syria.

The men are now banned from international travel, using the global financial system, and purchasing weapons.

The move by Britain to designate Mr Al Nuaymi as a financier of extremist groups shows how London is joining the efforts to stem the flow of financing to extremists.

While ISIL is believed to obtain most of its funding from kidnappings, extortion, and selling black market oil, it also gets some donations from supporters in the Gulf.

Some analysts believe that as the anti-ISIL coalition has an effect on the group’s infrastructure in Syria and Iraq, these private donations may become more important to it.

The British move also increases pressure on countries such as Qatar and Kuwait, where many of the financiers reside, to take action against them.

MPs in Britain are also demanding to know why Mr Al Nuaymi was not blacklisted sooner.

* With reporting by Associated Press