It has emerged that other Muslim organisations, including the Finsbury Park Mosque, as well as individuals have been informed that their bank accounts will be closed by HSBC.
Last week the Ummah Welfare Trust revealed that it had been sent a letter telling it that its bank accounts will be closed on 22 September because the charity now falls “outside our risk appetite”.
Finsbury Park Mosque, which is a registered charity with an income of £120,000, and a think tank Cordoba Foundation, have now revealed that they were sent similar letters.
The mosque’s chairman Mohammed Kozbar told the BBC that: "For us it is astonishing - we are a charity operating in the UK, all our operations are here in the UK and we don't transfer any money out of the UK. All our operations are funded from funds within the UK."
He added that the charity was now in a very “difficult position” as the HSBC account is its only one.
The Cordoba Foundation’s chief executive, Anas Altikriti, as well as his wife and children have also been informed that their personal accounts will be closed.
He tweeted: “Last week HSBC informed me and my family (my wife and two sons) that our personal accounts will be closed. No explanation.”
Altikriti, who has banked with HSBC for almost 30 years, described his treatment by the bank as “incredibly disrespectful and shoddy” and added that: “The only explanation that has come to mind is my work for Palestine and Gaza.”
In a statement HSBC said: "We do not discuss relationships we may or may not have with a customer, nor confirm whether an individual or business is, or has been a customer.
"Discrimination against customers on grounds of race or religion is immoral, unacceptable and illegal, and HSBC has comprehensive rules and policies in place to ensure race or religion are never factors in banking decisions."
The bank has not responded to Civil Society News’ inquiry as to how many organisations have been told their accounts will be closed.
Last week the Muslim Charities Forum’s chairman, Hany El-Banna said that the closing of the UWT’s accounts is “of grave concern” and warned: “This overt clampdown in the charity sector cannot continue without casualties among the many organisations that work within it.”
A spokesman for the umbrella body told Civil Society News that it was not aware of any other Muslim charities affected by HSBC’s recent review of its banking clients.
