Daesh fundraiser flees UK despite terror watch

A senior fundraiser for Daesh under a strict counter-terrorism order has managed to flee the UK to join jihadists in Syria, Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported.

Mohammed Khaled, 45, who lived in west London, had been placed on a terror sanctions list and had his assets frozen.

The security services believed Khaled was using his London base to raise tens of thousands of pounds for Daesh.

Khaled’s disappearance, despite his high profile status on the sanctions list, raises serious questions about the ability of UK authorities to keep control over Britain’s borders.

It follows claims that one of the terrorists behind the Paris attacks visited two British cities in the run up to the atrocity in which 130 people were murdered.

Counter-terrorism officials have reportedly established that the man, who has not been publicly identified, traveled to the UK earlier this year.

It is also claimed that phone calls were made to Britain by one or more of the Paris gunmen in the days before the attack.

A High Court judgment uncovered by the Telegraph details the belief of security services that Khaled, who is Syrian-born, is back in his home country and possibly planning terrorist activities against the UK.

Khaled had been challenging the asset freezing order but the case was thrown out when it emerged he had fled.

It is not clear when Khaled left the UK but as recently as May this year a new terrorism finance order was issued against him.

Under its terms all his assets in the UK have been frozen and banks have been ordered to close down his accounts and block any financial transactions.

Khaled, who uses nine aliases, was suspected of diverting humanitarian aid meant or Syrian refugees to Daesh.

He was one of 23 terror suspects whose assets remain frozen Under the Terrorist Asset-Freezing Act 2010.

Sources: MENA