Somali Islamists held UK meeting to raise funds

[maddezmom]

Courts group targeted by US air strikes had meeting with Foreign Office officials

Jeevan Vasagar
Saturday January 13, 2007
The Guardian

Somalia's Islamist movement, whose leadership is accused by the US of sheltering some of al-Qaida's most wanted operatives, sent a delegation on a fundraising trip to Britain last year, the Guardian has learned. Led by an Islamist minister, the Union of Islamic Courts delegation received pledges of funding from members of Britain's Somali diaspora at a meeting at a north London school in November.

According to one community leader, the Somali delegation also met sympathisers at the Finsbury Park mosque, which became notorious as a recruiting ground for radical Islam under its former imam Abu Hamza.

Abdiwali Mohamud, a Somali community worker in Camden, said: "They were trying to influence people in a Muslim way, saying are you with us or with the unbelievers?"

Although they were not officially recognised by Britain, the Islamists also held talks with Foreign Office officials, who urged them to negotiate with Somalia's government.

more:http://www.guardian.co.uk/alqaida/story/0,,1989407,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=12