UNITED KINGDOM: News reports have surfaced exposing that Prince Charles’ charity, The Prince of Wales’ Charitable Fund, accepted monetary funds as ‘donations’ from the family of Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden.
The Sunday Times reported that the next-in-line King had met Osama’s half-brother Bakr bin Laden and his brother Shafiq in London in 2013, two years after Osama was killed by American forces at a compound near Islamabad in Pakistan.
The two brothers are related through their father, Mohammad bin Awad, a Yemeni-born billionaire. There is no suggestion, however, to prove that the two have been involved in or sponsored any terrorist agendas.
The news agency further claims that the funds were accepted by the Foundation despite vehement opposition from the senior royal’s closest aides and advisors.
Clarence House, under the patronage of the Prince, strongly denied any involvement in these acts, saying that the decision to accept the money was solely taken by the trustees of the foundation.
A spokesperson from Clarence House notified Sky News and said, “The Prince of Wales Charitable Fund has assured us that thorough due diligence was undertaken in accepting this donation.”
The foundation also denied allegations of the Prince being directly involved in the whole fiasco saying, “The donation from Sheikh Bakr Bin Laden in 2013 was carefully considered by PWCF trustees at the time.”
Sir Ian Cheshire, chairman of the foundation, said in a statement, “Due diligence was conducted with information sought from a wide range of sources, including government. The decision to accept the donation was taken wholly by the trustees. Any attempt to suggest otherwise is misleading and inaccurate.”
The Charity Foundation was established in 1979. It awards grants to UK-registered non-profit organisations for projects in the UK, Commonwealth and other nations.
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