Gaza Aid Security Contractor Hired Members of “Islamophobic Hate Group” Biker Club, Dem Rep Says

Democratic lawmakers are blasting a controversial Gaza aid group funded by the U S administration for tapping armed members of a motorcycle club that one legislator called an Islamophobic hate group Sen Pete Welch D-Vt and Rep Sean Casten D-Ill declared in statements that they were outraged that a contractor for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation employed members of the Infidels Motorcycle Club At least members of the Infidels were employed by the GHF s protection contractor UG Solutions according to a fresh BBC document It is unacceptable for the United States to fund an organization tied to an Islamophobic hate group It is unacceptable for the United States to fund an organization tied to an Islamophobic hate group Casten revealed in a report to The Intercept Casten led an unsuccessful push this week to bar ruling body funding for the aid group and Welch has alleged that its employees may be complicit in Israeli war crimes The U S administration is sending violent motorcycle gangs to Gaza in the middle of a famine Welch notified The Intercept in a message The American people deserve answers The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and UG Solutions did not at once respond to requests for comment Thursday The legislators concern centers on the Infidels Motorcycle Club The group has not been publicly designated as an outlaw motorcycle gang or accused of violence by law enforcement but a account by federal functionaries reported a chapter in Florida where specific of the Infidels in Gaza hail from had been observed riding and associating with an outlaw gang The Infidels describe themselves as a club for Patriotic Americans and our supporting allies that is opposed to the Jihadist movement and Islamic extremism Related Company Leader at Gaza Aid Distribution Sites Belongs to Anti- Jihad Motorcycle Club Has Crusader Tattoos Clad in Crusader-style crosses sewn to their jackets and tattooed on their skin the Infidels cruise highways in states and Germany More in the last few days a member employed by a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation contractor Johnny Mulford used the Infidels as a recruiting architecture to hire at least club members for GHF according to the BBC The Intercept previously stated on Mulford s membership in the Infidels and leadership role at UG Solutions Mulford and the Infidels did not without delay respond to requests for comment Thursday Seven club members are in oversight positions at GHF aid sites in Gaza the BBC published One club member posted on his Facebook page an image of contractors in Gaza posing with rifles and a Make Gaza Great Again sign Palestinians Killed Near Aid Sites The involvement of Infidels members is especially troubling to critics of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation because of the Israeli-backed group s record at aid distribution sites in Gaza Other aid groups have criticized the foundation for using a militarized model relying largely on American military veterans Related Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Head Boasts Success as Palestinians Starve At least people have been killed near the foundation s aid sites since it began distributing food in May a group of United Nations experts disclosed last month The group claimed that Israeli forces and private prevention contractors were using open indiscriminate fire on people seeking aid The U N group also alleged that there have also been forced disappearances at aid distribution sites The State Department approved million in early funding for the foundation despite an internal ruling body assessment raising critical concerns about its model The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has denied that any UG Solutions employees have shot Palestinians in Gaza The group says it has distributed million meals to Palestinians Read our complete coverage Israel s War on Gaza Earlier this week Casten the Democratic representative tried to offer an amendment to the annual defense budget bill that would bar further funding to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation That push died in the Republican-controlled House Rules Committee before the broader bill was approved Wednesday a move that Casten criticized in a report calling the Infidels an Islamophobic hate group The United States must forthwith halt all funding to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation GHF s operations have caused deadly chaos at aid distribution sites Casten commented House Republicans refusal to even allow a vote on my amendment to end GHF funding and to ensure that humanitarian aid to Gaza is delivered through established and legitimate international organizations is deeply disappointing and indefensible The post Gaza Aid Precaution Contractor Hired Members of Islamophobic Hate Group Biker Club Dem Rep Says appeared first on The Intercept