of a century and have admired the projects and programmes you have undertaken in more than 70 countries around the world, ranging from emergency and disaster relief to education, health and micro-finance projects. If I may say so, our country is incredibly fortunate to be able to count on organisations like Muslim Aid who bring not only help, but hope to those most in need." Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "For a quarter of a century the valuable work Muslim Aid has been doing means that millions of people across the world are today safer and healthier. I wish Muslim Aid and its passionate and committed staff and supporters the very best for another 25 years of achievement." Controversies Controversy surrounding Muslim Aid has centered mainly on allegations of its role in the financing of terrorist or extremist organizations. In 2002, a Spanish police report alleged the organisation to have used funds to send mujahadeen fighters to Bosnia. In 2010, the organisation was investigated by the Charity Commission for England and Wales for allegedly funding groups linked to a banned terrorist organisation. The investigation cleared the organisation and said that the claims were unsubstantiated. The Sunday Telegraph criticised the outcome saying the Commission cleared the organization, "without examining any of the evidence presented," though the organisation has admitted funding two organisations linked to Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and alleging that Muslim Aid is "closely linked to the extremist Islamic Forum of Europe, which wants to create a sharia state in Europe." In 2003, ABC News established a link between a Muslim Aid Australia and the Dewan Dakwah Islamiyah Indonesia (DDII) which is linked to the Islamist group Jemaah Islamiyah. In 2008, their offices in Lakemba were raided by the police over allegations that funds were being sent through Interpal to help get money into Gaza during Israeli border closures. In 2008, the organisation was banned in Israel, due to its alleged ties to the Union of Good. A 2009 report by the US-based think-tank Nine Eleven Finding Answers Foundation, also alleged the charity was part of the Union of Good. Anthony Cordesman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies also said they funded Hamas. In 2009, despite being dogged by allegations of foreign intelligence links and terrorist support throughout the Muslim world, Muslim Aid Pakistan, with full support of Muslim Aid UK figures appointed a former director