Another problem for the British crown: Prince Charles received 1.2 million euros from Osama bin Laden’s family

Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, accepted in 2013 a donation of one million pounds (€ 1.2 million) for its charities for the family of Saudi terrorist Osama bin Laden, reported this Sunday The times of Sunday.

According to the newspaper, the future king received the money from Bakr bin Laden, the current patriarch of the wealthy Saudi family, and his brother Shafiq, both half-brothers on Osama’s father’s side.

The founder of Al Qaeda was executed in 2011 in Pakistan in a US military operation, accused of the attacks of 11 September 2001 in that country, which caused 2,996 deaths and over 25,000 wounded.

The newspaper says so there is no indication that the half-siblings were related to the Islamist leader’s activitieswhose father, Yemeni-born millionaire Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden, died in a plane crash in 1967.

According to the Times, Carlos, 73, met Bakr, 76, at his Clarence House building in London on October 30, 2013. two years after Osama bin Laden’s death.

donations

The heir accepted the donation despite the expressed advice of several councilors, who they warn him that “it wouldn’t do anyone any good” and it could damage your reputation. According to the newspaper, the prince thought that refusing him would be embarrassing for the Saudi businessman.

The money was deposited, via Coutts Monarchy Bank, into the Prince of Wales Charitable Fund (PWCF) account, which distributes grants to UK organizations non-profit, explains the newspaper, which indicates that the board of directors of this Fund has formally accepted it a posteriori.

In a statement, Ian Cheshire, president of the PWCF, assured that “Bakr bin Laden’s donation in 2013 has been carefully evaluated “. and agreed at the time by the five trustees, although, according to the Times, at least one expressed doubts.

“Due diligence was carried out, with information from a wide range of sources, including the government. The decision to accept the donation rested with the administrators. Any attempt to suggest otherwise is misleading and inaccurate.Cheshire declares.

These trustees were Amelia Fawcett, a senior executive who currently chairs London’s famous Kew Botanic Gardens; Michael Rake, former president of BT; John Varley, former CEO of Barclays; academician Kenneth Wilson and William Nye, Charles’s then chief private secretary.

A spokesperson for Clarence House, Clarence House, pointed out that “the decision to accept (the donation) was made only by the administrators and any attempt to characterize it differently is false ”.

Other contributions

“The Prince of Wales Charity Fund assured us that extensive due diligence was carried out before accepting the donation,” they add.

These revelations come after the same newspaper reported in June that the prince received between 2011 and 2015 three lots of cash worth € 3 million by the former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar, Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani.

The UK Commission for the Supervision of Charities decided on 20 do not investigate this donation.

Police, however, are investigating allegations that Charles’ former aide Michael Fawcett promised titles and citizenship to a Saudi tycoon in exchange for a financial contribution to another Charles charity, the Prince’s Foundation.

Clarence House claims that Carlos, who is taking on more and more functions as head of state due to Elizabeth II’s advanced age, “was unaware” of these exchanges.

Source: EFE and AFP

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