The Charity Commission has issued an official warning to an independent school where children were exposed to Daesh propaganda.
The charity regulator's investigation into the Lantern of Knowledge Educational Trust found the trustees responsible for mismanagement and/or misconduct.
Its trustees have been issued with an order directing them to take specific actions, including carrying out a review of the organisation’s governing document to ensure compliance with independent school standards.
The charity’s objects include advancing the Islamic religion, advancing education and promoting religious harmony.
Teacher convicted of a number of terrorism offences
Umar Ahmed Haque, a former part-time Islamic Studies teacher at the school, was charged with disseminating terrorist material to children at a secondary school run by the charity.
On 25 May 2017, Haque was charged with offences under the Terrorism Act 2000, Terrorism Act 2006 and the Criminal Law Act 1977.
During his criminal trial, Haque acknowledged that he showed children in his class a video relating to Daesh. This class consisted of 18 children.
However, he pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the jury could not reach a verdict.
In March 2018, Haque was convicted of a number of other terrorism offences, unrelated to this charity, and sentenced to life in prison.
He had also worked in the past at the Essex Islamic Academy. Haque was found guilty of grooming and radicalising children, and jailed for life for trying to brainwash “an army of children” to launch simultaneous attacks across London in 2018.
“His plan was to create an army of children to assist with multiple terrorist attacks throughout London,” said Dean Haydon, head of the metropolitan police’s counter terrorism command, at the time. “He tried and he did, we believe, radicalise vulnerable children from the ages of 11 to 14.”
'It is completely unacceptable for any charity to be associated with terrorism'
In a report, the Commission finds that Haque “grossly abused” the position of trust he held at the charity and exploited an opportunity to show children in the charity’s care the video, which promoted the ideology and tactics of a proscribed terrorist organisation to children.
Whilst the financial management of the charity did not form part of the initial scope of the inquiry, the charity’s entry on the register shows that the charity’s annual return, trustees’ annual report and accounts for the financial year ending 30 September 2018 were filed 45 and 49 days late respectively.
Tim Hopkins, assistant director for investigations and inquiries at the Commission, said: “Umar Haque’s action at this charity was appalling. It is completely unacceptable for any charity to be associated with terrorism and we are concerned by the corrosive effect this might have on public confidence in this and other charities.
“Charities should lead the way in taking public expectations seriously and be distinct from other types of organisations in their attitude and behaviour, their motivations and methods.
“We expect the trustees of this charity to learn from the failings set out in our report, and to comply with the required actions to strengthen the charity’s administration. We will closely monitor the trustees’ compliance with these actions.”
