BARCELONA – The Emirate of Qatar is a very small country, but
extremely rich. It finances Islamist extremism in Libya, Syria and Iraq (as far
as we know) yet maintains close relationships with some of the world’s largest
enterprise. Earlier this year, Germany’s Minister for the Economy and
Development, Gerd Müler,
accused Qatar of financing and arming Islamic State (or whatever anyone settles on calling these appalling terrorists). In the presence of Angela
Merkel, the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, stated “I have never and will never
support terrorist organisations.” We don’t really know what the Emir considers
a terrorist organisation, of course, but it is well known that he finances the
groups that are fighting against Al Assad in Syria, that he harbours and
finances the top echelon of Hamas, which the UN considers a terrorist organisation.
Merkel said she ‘no reason to doubt’ the Emir’s words. As might be expected,
in public the two talked about their mutual interest in strengthening the
financial relationships between their countries.