Celebrities yesterday backed a charity over its funding of controversial campaign group Cage . The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust was forced to halt further donations to Cage – the organisation that came under fire after a senior figure praised Islamic State butcher Mohammed Emwazi . Its links with the 'warped ' group – and six-figure donations – highlighted by the Mail , prompted outrage from Westminster and the threat of a Charity Commission inquiry . Vanessa Redgrave ( right ) and Joanna Lumley ( left ) yesterday praised the leading Quaker charity . But actresses Vanessa Redgrave , Joanna Lumley and Dame Janet Suzman yesterday praised the leading Quaker charity . The actresses said the trust has made 'vital contributions ' to the Northern Ireland peace process and the transition to democracy in South Africa . They wrote that charities such as the trust frequently work in 'complex and difficult environments ' to promote peace , justice and equality . Their co-signatories included Sir Christopher Bland , a former chairman of the BBC , and former Labour leader Lord Kinnock . 'At times its work has been risky or controversial , but in our experience it has always acted with the greatest integrity , ' they said in a letter to The Times . The trust , along with the Roddick Foundation , was investigated by the Charity Commission over support for Cage . The trust reluctantly agreed to stop bankrolling Cage after Charity Commission officials threatened it with a statutory inquiry . Asim Qureshi , its research director , described one of the world 's most wanted terrorists as a 'beautiful young man ' and 'extremely gentle ' Cage caused outrage over its attempts to justify the killings meted out by Kuwaiti-born Briton Emwazi , because he had claimed to have been harassed by MI5 . The campaign group gave an extraordinary press briefing about Emwazi – carried live at length on the BBC and Sky – after he was identified as the man behind the mask of Jihadi John . Asim Qureshi , its research director , described one of the world 's most wanted terrorists as a 'beautiful young man ' and 'extremely gentle ' . The 32-year-old blamed British security services for the radicalisation of Emwazi . The group has been propped up largely by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust since 2007 , with grants making a combined total of £305,000 .
Celebrities backed charity over its funding of controversial group Cage . Cage under fire when senior figure praised Charity Commission killer Mohammed Emwazi . Led to outrage from Westminster and threat of ISIS inquiry . But Vanessa Redgrave and Joanna Lumley praised Joseph Rowntree Trust . Said it had made 'vital contributions ' to Northern Ireland peace process .