UK Muslims Encounter Mysterious Bank Account Shutdowns

Reports have emerged indicating that the UK is closing numerous bank accounts of British Muslims without providing any explanation. The closures are said to be occurring at a significant rate, with up to 1,000 closures reported daily.

This issue gained attention when the Cordoba Foundation, a British think tank, faced difficulties making payments for an event in central London. Their attempts to pay were repeatedly declined, and they discovered that their NatWest account had been closed without prior warning or explanation.

Anas Altikriti, who leads the foundation, shared his experience on social media, revealing that similar issues had occurred almost a decade ago with other banks such as HSBC, NatWest Business, RBS Help, LloydsBank, and Santander UK.

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This practice of closing accounts is often referred to as “de-risking,” where banks close accounts of individuals or entities they perceive as financially or legally questionable. Even prominent figures like Nigel Farage, a Brexit supporter, have faced similar issues.

Altikriti believes that these incidents highlight a larger problem of “institutional Islamophobia” in the UK. This situation has brought attention to the challenges faced by Muslims in the country when it comes to banking services. HSBC, one of the banks mentioned, has not provided any comments regarding these account closures.