Sri Lanka, the 'Caliphate', and UN Folly

We are in danger of sleep walking into a new Caliphate andmore ISIS attacks such as Sri Lanka. Why? Because of the unintendedconsequences of actions such as the UN’s new aid regime to Syria.

This new regime is such that Dr David Nott and I were toldby DFID very recently, that any aid going into Idlib is a contravention of UKcounter terror laws which take their lead from the UN ‘proscribed’ terror list.

The UN is drawing up plans for humanitarian aid which mightunwittingly help the terrorists.  Forreasons, known only to the mandarins in the UN, all aid donated for Syria is tobe centralised and delivered through Damascus. Those of us involved in humanitarian support to Syria know, that thiswill be controlled and directed by the Assad Regime going to areas and peopleloyal to Assad and those who have given up the fight.  Not a penny will reach the 3 million innocentcivilians trapped with the remnants of the jihadists in Idlib province, theonly remaining area not under Assad’s control

Idlib is now the breeding ground for ISIS and a newcaliphate. It is the jihadists who will continue to attack Sri Lanka, the UK,and other targets if we do nothing. Russia manipulated the creation of the UN Counter Terrorism division in2017 and helped have every group in Syria opposed to the Syrian Regimeprescribed as a terror group.

So, we are apparently aiding and abetting terrorists?  Rarely have I heard such bunkum!  With our support for medical charitiesworking in Syria we have tried to stand by the ‘Hippocratic’ oath to maintainsome semblance of decency in this most ‘indecent’ conflict.  Everybody is treated according to medicalneed.  In this way, it is notunsurprising to learn that jihadists allow the Idlib Medical Directorate whichruns hospitals and clinics on the ground to operate unfettered.  This gives a tiny modicum of hope to the 3million trapped with the 5000 or so remaining Jihadist terrorists inIdlib.  But, with the UN and de facto UK,US and EU cutting off aid to Idlib, they are cutting off the lifeblood to thehopes of 3 million non-combatants. If this happens why would they not turn tothe jihadists for help?

Let us not forget the four major terror attacks in the UK inthe last 18 months were executed by those radicalised by and in the name ofISIS.  The Security Services preventedmany more, but there are still believed to be 500 or so ‘British’ Jihadists,who have fought in Syria and Iraq, some of whom intend to take the battle tothe streets of the UK.

Brexit might consume our political bandwidth, but it isstill the first responsibility of the Government to protect the British people,and jihadist terror is the greatest threat to this country now.  Part of combatting this must be to ensurethat agencies like the UN do not make decisions, especially with our resources,that could directly or indirectly support ‘dictators, despots, rogue states orterrorists’ who would want us harm.

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon OBE & Professor David Nott OBE.  Directors Doctors Under Fire