ENGINEER WHO WAS UNITED NATIONS EMPLOYEE ARRESTED FOR ASSISTING HAMAS

Walid Abdullah Borsch

Wahid Abdullah Borsch, an engineer who was employed by the United Nations, in the UNDP in Gaza, has been arrested & indicted in Israel, for providing material assistance to Hamas. Borsch reportedly diverted UN resources to aiding Hamas, including building a clandestine military marina for the terrorist organization, using United Nations equipment, assets, and staff.

Additionally, Borsch allegedly failed to notify a UN unit, charged with removing and destroying military equipment, when his staff discovered or uncovered weapons caches, in the course of renovation of damaged homes. he allowed Hamas to take over the site, and collect its weapons.

 He also concealed tunnel openings and entrance from the UN, notwithstanding his obligation to do so. Borch has identified a number of other Hamas agents working for the United Nations, as well as Hamas storage facilities, bunkers and tunnels. This case, coming immediately after the managing director of World Vision, a Christian charity, was charged with diverting millions of dollars, intended for Gaza rehabilitation, to Hamas, has focused attention again, upon Hamas' illegal use of aid money for military purposes. It is not known whether Bosch diverted UN funds through Gaza banks, to Hamas.

Comments, by the former head of Israel's intelligence service, and literally100% of groups conducting aid work in Gaza are Hamas agents, have confirmed fears that the UN does not vet its local staff, in those countries where it is operating. Compliance officers, now being made aware of this, and knowing that these individuals have ready and unsupervised access to UN funds and assets, should now act accordingly, when it comes to opening and supervising personal bank accounts for United Nations staff members.

While UN officials and staff members are already considered PEPs, due to their access to UN accounts, compliance officers should now insure that their bank customers, who are UN agents, are not now, nor ever have been, members of known terrorist organizations, as part of their risk-based compliance programs. You do not want your bank to be known as an unwitting terrorist financing facility, if it is later  revealed that your customer, who was an UN staff member, funneled stolen money to terrorists.