KUWAIT: Informed sources said intense investigations are being conducted by state security on information it received from concerned authorities over funds "suspected of being transferred to terrorist organizations abroad." Sources said investigations revealed that individuals and NGOs collect donations in mosques and diwaniyas illegally and some of it is transferred to suspicious organizations abroad. Intense questioning is going on with persons involved in the transfers and contacts with leaders of the Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Iraq.

The sources printed to the security record of the unlicensed donation collectors, in addition to monitoring sites to attract donors under the pretext of charity, and convincing individuals to donate to Syrians and other affected people. They said that coordination between Kuwaiti security authorities and their counterparts in neighboring countries revealed a strong link between collecting donations and financing terrorist cells, while more information is being collected.

The sources found it strange that in some mosques, some persons urge worshippers to donate through the microphone without permission. They added the interior ministry is coordinating with the awqaf and social affairs ministries to restrict charity manipulators. Meanwhile, an official source at the social affairs and labor ministry said the ministry sent a letter to the Cabinet with regards to implementing the decision to close unlicensed charity societies, as a grace period had ended at the start of the year.

The source said that over 50 percent of charity societies closed their unlicensed committee premises, while those that are still open will be closed by the ministry. - Al-Qabas