Trump pressures UK over Hamas-linked figure as US intel flags potential terror threat

The Trump medication has stepped up unit connected Sir Keir Starmer aft imposing sanctions connected a Britain-based activistic accused by U.S. quality of moving connected behalf of Hamas, according to reports.

The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced Jan. 21 that it was "taking enactment against Hamas’s covert links to nonprofit organizations." 

The connection went connected to sanction six Gaza-based groups and the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA).

U.S. officials said the PCPA operates arsenic a beforehand for Hamas overseas. OFAC besides designated Zaher Birawi, 64, accusing him of being a "senior official" successful Hamas done his enactment relation successful the PCPA.

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Trump medication sanctioned Britain-based activistic Zaher Birawi, accused of Hamas ties, pressuring Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to instrumentality akin enactment against the London resident. (Mark Kerrison/In Pictures via Getty Images)

The Treasury said Birawi is simply a founding subordinate of the enactment and portion of its wide secretariat, alleging the radical was utilized to "clandestinely expand" Hamas’s planetary power and fundraising.

This included backing flotillas that attempted to scope Gaza. Some person received nationalist backing from salient activists, including Greta Thunberg.

"Hamas continues to amusement a callous disregard for the payment of the Palestinian people," said John K. Hurley, the U.S. Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, successful a statement.

Hurley added that "the Trump medication volition not look the different mode portion Hamas enactment and enablers exploit the fiscal strategy to money violent operations."

TRUMP ADMIN WEIGHS TERRORISM SANCTIONS AGAINST UN PALESTINIAN AID AGENCY OVER HAMAS ALLEGATIONS

Greta Thunberg with Zaher Birawi (second from the left), who Israel says is tied to Hamas. (Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

The sanctions person enactment unit connected the U.K., which has been reviewing imaginable counterterror measures against Birawi for weeks, according to The Times.

U.K. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said it was "good to see" the U.S. instrumentality enactment and added: "Under nary circumstances should Britain beryllium a spot of sanctuary for anyone progressive successful oregon supportive of violent organisations similar Hamas."

Alex Hearn of Labour Against Antisemitism said Birawi continued to broadcast from London and signifier flotillas contempt the U.S. designation.

Lord Austin of Dudley has urged the U.K. to analyse the quality "very carefully."

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump shingle hands astatine a associated property league successful the East Room astatine the White House Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, successful Washington. (Carl Court/Pool Photo via AP)

Birawi, who lives successful Barnet successful northbound London, has been successful the U.K. for much than 30 years.

He chairs the Palestine Forum successful Britain and is simply a salient organizer of pro-Palestinian demonstrations successful the city.

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He has been named successful Parliament arsenic a information concern, and Israel designated him a Hamas subordinate successful 2013 — allegations helium has consistently denied.

In 2023, Birawi said helium is simply a "law-abiding British citizen" and rejected claims of links to Hamas, saying his enactment focuses connected "defending the nationalist and quality rights of Palestinians who past nether occupation."

Fox News Digital has reached retired to Birawi and Sir Keir Starmer's bureau for comment.