Investigation of Bi-bi-si: British aid to Syria left extremists
The UK government has suspended funding of the project to help police the rebels in Syria, after the investigation of Bi-bi-si found that some of these funds went to extremist groups.
The representative of the British government announced that London extremely seriously allegations of possible cooperation with terrorist groups.
The British company Adam Smith International (ASI) responsible for a project to help police the rebels strongly denied accusations of collaboration with the extremists.
“The free Syrian police” was created shortly after the beginning of the uprising in Syria in order to maintain law and order in areas under rebel control.
Adam Smith International is working on this project since October 2014.
The UK is one of the six countries sponsoring the project. “The free Syrian police” operates in several provinces, among them Aleppo, Idlib and Dar.
Donor countries insist that the police should not carry guns and in any case should not cooperate with extremist groups.
Bi-bi-si, however, found out that these rules are not always respected. Among other things, was discovered the following examples:
- The police collaborated with local courts upholding the death sentences, in one case, two women were stoned.
- The police were paid in cash, and then handed them to extremist groups who controlled a particular area.
- The extremist group has chosen who will serve in the police.
- Salaries were allocated to the deceased or never existed people.
In April the Minister of foreign Affairs of great Britain, Boris Johnson said that the British government will allocate four million pounds to the program “Access to justice and security of the local communities” within which assistance is “Free Syrian police.”
ASI States that the employees of the “Free Syrian police” are not armed, what is the purpose of this organization is to maintain order and provide assistance to millions of people in the war-torn country.