14-Aug-14
London: In a controversial move, the global private banking major HSBC has closed some part of the British Muslim groups and individuals "adventure" account.
HSBC has written to London's largest mosque in Fins bury Park and other organizations, including one Islamic think tank, he said, will be to continue to provide services outside the bank's "risk appetite."
It said the decision to close the account is "absolutely not based on race or religion."
The bank said in a statement, "We do not discuss our relationship may or may not have with our customers, nor to determine whether an individual or business or former clients.
"Racial or religious grounds of discrimination based on customers is immoral and unacceptable, illegal, HSBC has comprehensive rules and policies to ensure that the factors of race or religion, have never been in the bank's decision," it said.
Khaled Omar, one of the Fins bury Park mosque trustee, questioned the motives behind the letters.
"The letter has been sent, but does not account for any reason we received was the first time off the letter," he said.
"It makes us believe that the only reason these things happen is because the movement in the UK Islamophobia against Muslim charities," he added.
Until 2005, the mosque by Abu Hamza, who was convicted of terrorism offenses in May this year in the United States run.
"Since taking over the mosque of Abu Hamza to change the image, we also made a positive work, there is nothing to explain (HSBC's decision)," mosque, chairman Mohammed Kozbar told the BBC.
December 2012, HSBC had solved the money laundering, the United States authorities to pay USD 1.9 billion (120 million pounds) in this case the maximum payment.
Allegedly, in order to help laundering belong to drug cartels and sanctions in the United States.
Last August, it was reported that HSBC require more than 40 embassies, consulates and High Commissions to close their accounts in the UK.
At the time, the bank said, "HSBC has applied for a" five filters "to assess rolling plan its operations since May 2011, our services, as the embassy is no exception."
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