Charity watchdog: Probe on into quake fund-terror link

Abdul Rauf reportedly stepped down from the charity group’s board several years ago. He and another of his sons, Tayib, 22, who has been detained by British police, live in Birmingham.

The Times newspaper says the aid group may have linked them to plot suspects in High Wycombe, northwest of London, where five of the 23 people being held over the alleged plan to bomb planes from Britain to America were arrested.

All the High Wycombe suspects had been involved with Crescent Relief’s earthquake aid efforts last year, The Times reported.

A local newspaper listed a mobile phone number for Khuram Ali, now a suspect in the case, for those wishing to donate to the relief fund, The Times said.

The Charity Commission, a government agency that regulates charities’ activities, said it was aware of the claims that the terror suspects were linked to Crescent Relief. “We use our legal powers on the basis of evidence,’’ the Commission said in a statement. “We are looking into the suggestions that have been made to decide what regulatory action may be required by us.’’

–BETH GARDINER