Dundee-born Muslim convert James McLintock has been included in a fresh terror dossier submitted to the Canadian Senate.
The former Lawside Academy pupil’s alleged support of terrorist groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan formed part of ex-FBI counter-terrorism analyst Matthew Levitt’s testimony to the National Security and Defence Committee.
A suggestion that McLintock also appeared to be involved in Syria was also included in Mr Levitt’s statement on the subject of the “terrorist abuse of charity in the age of the Islamic State and the Syria War”.
McLintock, 53, who changed his name to Yaqoob Mansoor Al-Rashidi, is president of the Al Rahmah Welfare Organisation (RWO), which the US Treasury alleges has been providing money for al Qaida, the Taliban, Lashkar-e-Taiba and other Afghan extremist groups under the guise of helping orphans.
McLintock was last year put on the department’s “specially designated global terrorist” list, which freezes any property he has within US jurisdiction and bans Americans from doing business with him.
Mr Levitt – director of The Washington Institute’s Stein Programme on Counter-terrorism and Intelligence – said the charitable sector can be “uniquely vulnerable” to the misuse and abuse of funds by nature of the work that is carried out.
He said: “Organisations funneling money to al Qaida continue to come to light as well.
“Saudi Arabia and the United States jointly acted against the Al-Furqan Foundation Welfare Trust in May 2015.
“In addition to supporting al Qaida, the Treasury also called out Al-Furqan for aiding the Taliban and the Pakistani jihadist group Lashkar-e-Taiba.
“Less than a year later, the United States and Saudi Arabia again took joint action against four individuals and two organisations for supporting the same three terrorist groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
“Among those sanctioned was the Scottish-born jihadist James McLintock and the Al-Rahmah Welfare Organization (RWO), of which McLintock was the president, CEO, and chairman.
“According to the Treasury Department, RWO and other associated outfits received ‘large amounts of money from British donors who were not aware of the NGOs’ Taliban ties’.
“Although the Treasury statement cited McLintock for supporting a variety of terrorist groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan, he also appeared to be involved in Syria.”
Mr Levitt added: “Apart from the direct effects of financing terrorism, the charitable sector itself suffers more indirect effects from the abuse of charity.
“The reputation of legitimate charities can take a hit when they are inflitrated by extremists and in war zones like Syria and Iraq there are the serious physical risks of having goods stolen and staff kidnapped in the countries where they are trying to help.”
McLintock has “categorically denied” allegations made by the US Treasury that his Pakistani orphanage is providing money for extremist groups.
The US Treasury said McLintock received about $180,000 from donors in Britain between April 2011 and April 2012 and also received money from charities in the Persian Gulf and the UK.
He also is suspected of smuggling cash to insurgents in Afghanistan and moving parts for improvised explosive devices between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
