CEP Highlights Qatar’s Willingness to Host, Protect, and Support Terrorists

(New York, NY) – Prior to Gulf state neighbors announcing the severing of ties with Qatar over the country’s support for extremism, the Qatari government indicated that it was preparing to expel several leaders of the terrorist group Hamas. However, Qatar has made similar announcements in the past relating to Hamas members only to renege, the Counter Extremism Project (CEP) said today in launching its HARBORS Campaign: Qatar.

On June 5, 2017, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, and others announced the end of diplomatic and commercial ties with Qatar. Although the Qatari government claimed to be preparing to expel several Hamas leaders, the government has previously denied reports that it was expelling Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal, referring to those reports as “just rumors” and calling Meshaal a “dear guest” of Qatar. Indeed, Qatar has a long history of harboring terrorist operatives and financiers from various extremist groups, including Hamas, the Taliban, al-Qaeda, the Nusra Front, and the Muslim Brotherhood, undermining regional and international security.

CEP is calling on Qatar to arrest, expel, and end its financial and material support to 12 sanction-designated or wanted individuals, including: Meshaal; Muslim Brotherhood ideologue Yusuf al-Qaradawi; U.N.-sanctioned Taliban operatives; al-Qaeda financiers; and others. These extremist and terrorist leaders and groups do not merit the legitimacy—let alone the relief and financial opportunities—granted by Qatar.

To learn more about CEP’s HARBORS Campaign: Qatar, please click here.