Woman and men in court charged with funding Hamas

Two people from Kettering and a man from Bolton appeared at the Old Bailey accused of supporting and funding Hamas

Three people have appeared in court charged with supporting and financing Hamas.

Bisharet Ali, 61, from Kettering, Northamptonshire, and Mohmed Patel, 50, from Bolton, Greater Manchester, have been accused of inviting support for the proscribed terrorist organisation between 5 October 2023 and 1 January 2024.

They were also accused of inviting others to provide money or property to be used for the purposes of terrorism between 9 October 2023 and 4 January 2024.

They appeared at a preliminary hearing at the Old Bailey on Friday, alongside Mr Ali's 33-year-old daughter Ayesha Ali, from Kettering, who is charged with becoming involved in an arrangement between 10 October 2023 and 4 January 2024.

The arrangement meant "money or other property was to be made available to another, knowing or having reasonable cause to suspect that it will or may be used for the purposes of terrorism".

The Metropolitan Police previously said all three individuals were British nationals.

The three defendants spoke only to confirm their identities at the Old Bailey hearing.

Prosecutors said the charges could be broadly summarised as "the supporting and funding of Hamas".

An application to dismiss the charges could be made at a later date, defence barristers said.

Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb set a trial date at Nottingham Crown Court on 9 November 2026.

The judge granted Bisharet Ali and Patel conditional bail and Ayesha Ali unconditional bail ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing on 6 March next year.