'Zakir Naik's IRF minted millions of rupees through charities, used funds to spread radical thoughts'

The Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) founded by controversial preacher Zakir Naik, has collected millions of rupees through charities and donations worldwide and used the funds to spread radical thoughts, said Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy here on Friday.

Presenting India's third intervention on the usage of non-profit organisations (NPOs) in radicalisation and terror financing on the last day of the three-day 'No Money For Terror' Conference in Melbourne, Reddy pointed out the strict action taken against the IRF, a Mumbai-based charity organisation, while continuing to focus on the need for counter-radicalisation.

Naik, who has been living in Malaysia for the last three years, is facing charges of inciting communal disharmony and committing unlawful activities in India. He is also facing probe both in India and Bangladesh in connection with the terror attack at the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka on July 2016.

Reddy said that terror organisations in some countries are misusing NPOs to propagate fundamentalism, radicalisation and to move funds to boost their interests.

"India's experience testifies the fact that terror organisations in some countries are misusing NPOs to propagate fundamentalism, radicalisation and also to move funds to further the interests of terrorist organisations," the minister said.

"Some NPOs are being misused for fundraising at international level and moving the funds internationally, in the garb of donations and charities," he added.

India is occupying centre stage in the global war on terror, given that it is also hosting a Joint Experts Meeting on behalf in FATF in April 2019 in New Delhi.

Reddy, along with National Investigation Agency (NIA) chief YC Modi and officials of IB, Financial Intelligence Unit and External Affairs Ministry, is currently attending a three-day global conference on 'No Money for Terror' in the Australian city.

The conference is a ministerial-level grouping of 70 countries that focuses on countering terror financing, terror and radicalisation.