UK Muslim Brotherhood Activist Sanctioned by US for Alleged Hamas Funding Remains Free in London

Mahmoud Al-Abiary, a 74-year-old Egyptian-Austrian citizen residing in London, has been designated by the US Treasury as a senior Muslim Brotherhood figure accused of funneling funds to Hamas through two Turkish charities banned in the United States. The Muslim Brotherhood was classified as a terrorist organization by the US in January. According to a Daily Mail investigation, Al-Abiary lives in a million-pound home in northwest London, registered under a trust he leads alongside other senior Muslim Brotherhood members in the UK.

Despite the US sanctions, Al-Abiary remains free to move around London and has not been questioned by the Metropolitan Police, even though aiding Hamas in the UK can lead to up to 14 years in prison. Al-Abiary denied the allegations, calling them false, and stated he has appealed the sanctions imposed on him. The case has sparked sharp public criticism in the UK over the lack of local enforcement against the group's activities.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp urged the police to investigate the allegations immediately, while Richard Tice, deputy leader of the right-wing Reform Party, demanded the government officially ban the Muslim Brotherhood's operations in the country.