Former Syrian terrorist group member leaves project paid by the Netherlands | Inland

Ministers Sigrid Kaag of Development Cooperation and Stef Blok of Foreign Affairs have informed the Lower House of this. The issue came to light through the Argos research program.

Nahhas was director of the civil rights movement Syrian Association for Citizen’s Dignity (SADC). He was paid by the European Institute of Peace (EIP), which received funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the project. Nahhas was previously spokesperson for Ahrar al-Sham, a fighting group that has been identified as terrorist by the Dutch court.

“After intensive contact with the ministry, EIP indicated last week that Mr. Al-Nahhas is withdrawing from the project with immediate effect ”, the ministers write.

Business transparency

Last month, Minister Kaag informed a critical Lower House that the subsidy would not have been granted if the ministry had known in advance of Nahhas’s appointment. The EIP has been “insufficiently transparent”, said ministers. They intend to continue the grant to the EIP and SADC.

The Syrian Nahhas was, among other things, spokesman for Ahrar al-Sham. He broke with it four years ago because he thought the group was becoming too radical. He is said to have worked for a peaceful solution to the bloody conflict in Syria. Nahhas also has a Spanish passport and is not on a terror list.

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