NARRATIVE SUMMARIES OF REASONS FOR LISTING
QE.I.126.06. International Islamic Relief Organization, Philippines, Branch Offices
Date on which the narrative summary became available on the Committee’s website: 08.07.2009
The International Islamic Relief Organization, Philippines, Branch Offices was listed on 4 August 2006 pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 2 of resolution 1617 (2005) as being associated with Al-Qaida, Usama bin Laden or the Taliban for “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf, or in support of” the Abu Sayyaf Group (QE.A.1.01).
Additional information:
The International Islamic Relief Organization, Philippines, Branch Offices (IIRO-Philippines) is a source of financing for the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) (QE.A.1.01). A former ASG member in the Philippines familiar with IIRO-Philippines operations reported that a limited amount of foreign IIRO funding goes to legitimate projects and the rest is directed to terrorist operations.
Muhammad Jamal Khalifah founded IIRO-Philippines in the late 1980s or early 1990s. Khalifah was Usama bin Laden’s (QI.B.8.01) brother-in-law and a member of Al-Qaida (QE.A.4.01). While working as the director of IIRO-Philippines, Khalifah maintained close relations with senior supporters of Al-Qaida, including Wa’el Hamza Abd al-Fatah Julaidan (QI.J.79.02). At the time Khalifah ran IIRO-Philippines, he employed an ASG intelligence officer as the provincial director of IIRO-Philippines in the Tawi-Tawi region of the southern Philippines until 1994.
In the mid-1990s, a new director took over IIRO-Philippines from Jamal Khalifa and continued to use the organization to funnel money to ASG.
IIRO-Philippines has received payment transfers authorized by Abd al Hamid Sulaiman Muhammed al-Mujil (QI.A.225.06), a major fundraiser for ASG and Jemaah Islamiyah (QE.J.92.02).
Related listed individuals and entities:
Abu Sayyaf Group (QE.A.1.01), listed on 6 October 2001
Al-Qaida (QE.A.4.01), listed on 6 October 2001
Jemaah Islamiyah (QE.J.92.02), listed on 25 October 2002
Usama Muhammed Awad bin Laden (QI.B.8.01), listed on 25 January 2001
Wa’el Hamza Abd al-Fatah Julaidan (QI.J.79.02), listed on 11 September 2002
Abd al Hamid Sulaiman Muhammed al-Mujil (QI.A.225.06), listed on 4 August 2006