Qatar Funded ’Moderate Groups’ in Syria along with CIA, Others: Qatari Officals
Local Editor
Qatar had provided support to so-called "moderate groups" in Syria, in co-ordination with the CIA and other Western and Arab intelligence agencies, senior Qatari officials told BBC as was published on Monday.
So-called "Moderate Groups" in Syria
They denied that their country was supporting extremist groups in Syria such as so-called "Daesh" ["ISIL"].
"Strict financial controls had been put in place," the officials said.
In the past, Qatar and donors there are believed to have financed and armed hardline groups in Syria, BBC said, adding that Doha is also believed to have links to the so-called "al-Nusra Front", an al-Qaeda affiliate.
Earlier this month [October], a number of British MPs were reported to have questioned the UK's closeness to Qatar, amid the claims of the links to "Daesh" funding.
Recently last week also, US Treasury official David Cohen said Qatar, along with Kuwait, was not doing enough to choke off funding for extremist groups.
Moreover, the Qatari denial came ahead of a visit to the UK this week by Qatar's ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
