HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : Gordon Brown orders freeze on finances of AL QA’IDA fund-raiser [November 2002]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 19 November 2002.

Chancellor Gordon Brown today instructed UK financial institutions to freeze any accounts belonging to the Benevolence International Foundation.

Announcing the asset freeze, the Chancellor said:

“At home and abroad we continue to bear down on the funding of terrorism. Benevolence International Foundation (BIF) raises funds for Al Qa’ida and Usama bin Laden. BIF operates as an international organisation with offices around the world and is extensively involved in funding international terrorism.

“I have no doubt that in taking concerted international action today we are cutting off the finances of an extremely threatening fundraiser for terrorism.

“Here in the UK the police have acted swiftly against terrorist suspects, with significant seizures of terrorist funds”.