A probe reveals senior anti-Islamic biker gang members were
hired by US contractors to secure Gaza food aid sites, raising serious human
rights concerns.
More than ten members of the US biker gang Infidels MC, which has anti-Islamic tattoos and uses the Crusader cross as its emblem, were employed by UG Solutions and sent to food supply locations managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, according to the research.
The BBC claims that seven gang members hold "senior positions overseeing [GHF] sites."
Among them is Johnny "Taz" Mulford, the gang's leader and UG Solutions' "country team leader," who has enlisted other people to work for UG Solutions in Gaza. The year that Pope Urban II started the first Crusade, 1095, is tattooed on his chest.
Mulford, whose affiliation with GHF was public, accidentally sent an email telling other leaders of the group not to comment on inquiries – inadvertently revealing the identities of several other senior Infidels members also working for UG Solutions.
One of the contractors, Josh Miller, posted a photograph of contractors in Gaza holding a banner at an aid site that reads: “Make Gaza Great Again.” He has the numbers 1095 tattooed on his fingers.
As the US- and Israeli-backed organization has replaced almost all other significant humanitarian organizations operating in the Gaza Strip in what some have described as a conscious attempt to politicize humanitarian aid, GHF's actions have come under criticism.
GHF has received at least $30 million in funding from the US government.
For starving Palestinians looking for food, the areas close to GHF locations have become especially perilous. A UN assessment published in early August stated that at least 859 Palestinians had been killed in the vicinity of GHF facilities.
Former UG Solutions staff have told the media that, even in the absence of a clear threat, contractors at GHF facilities have opened fire on Palestinians seeking relief.
“We do not screen for personal hobbies or affiliations unrelated to job performance or security standards. Every team member undergoes comprehensive background checks, and only qualified, vetted individuals are deployed on UG Solutions operations,”
UG Solutions said.
The Israeli military frequently targets defenseless civilians, as evidenced by a study last week that showed how four members of one family were shot and killed in a single day by Israeli soldiers who were recruited from overseas.
How have human rights organizations responded to this security setup?
Organizations like the Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR) condemned the involvement of the Infidels Motorcycle Club. According to
CAIR, putting a hate organization in charge of humanitarian aid presents high
risks to recipient safety, impartiality and dignity.
Human rights advocates emphasize there is a risk of discrimination, intimidation and abuse from staff members with extremist anti-Muslim ideologies if the organization is responsible for securing aid to a majority Muslim area like Gaza.
There is concern about reports that security contractors have fired warning shots into crowds of people seeking aid, which may violate international humanitarian law and human rights standards created for the protection of civilians.