Qatar finances Islamic terrorism as well as Barcelona F.C.

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.

Qatar is the largest foreign investor in Germany – to the tune of €18,000mm – and the largest German companies, such as Volkswagen, Siemens, Hochtief and Deutsche Bank among others, are heavily involved in projects related to the next Football World, scheduled to take place in 2022, in Qatar. Merkel defended her country’s sale of arms to the Emirate, including that of 62 Leopard armoured vehicles.

It is a long list that populates Qatar’s investments all over the world, very large sums for a country of only 250,000 inhabitants and a very small army. It is also true that the Emirate not only hosts most of the principal Hamas bosses, but also Cetcom, the US’s Forces Central Command for the Middle East, and the strategic air base at Al Udeid, the epicentre of US operations in the whole area.

Too many eggs in too many baskets

It also finances and maintains Al Jazeera, Islam’s most popular TV and radio network. In Europe it has invested not only Deutsche Bank and in Iberdrola, one of the leading Spanish countries, but also sponsors Barcelona Club de Fútbol. It also owns the rights to La Liga and subsidises the building of the largest mosque in Europe – in Barcelona.

Is it not somewhat alarming that this one tiny country, swimming in petro-dollars, is so powerful – whatever its leader chooses to deny?

(Original source: http://blogs.publico.es/)