Who is behind the assassination of British MP David Amess?
October 19, 2021, 11:41 am

Who is behind the assassination of British MP David Amess?

On Friday, October 15, a conservative member of the British Parliament, David Amess, was brutally stabbed to death in a church in Essex by a man identified by police as being of Somali origin. Police have not yet released details of the crime.

However, the British police announced that they are considering the attack as a terrorist act motivated by Islamic fundamentalism, and the investigation is led by the anti-terrorism police.

The question that is begging for an answer in everybody’s mind is why?! What was the motive of the assailant to kill David Amess, and what group or government could be hiding behind this terrorist operation?

David Amess was one of the oldest members of the British Parliament and served as a Member of the British Parliament for 38 years. During this time, he was a staunch supporter of democracy and freedom and opposed the religious dictatorial regimes.

On October 14, Just one day before his assassination, the Town Hall website published an article from Sir David Amess titled “Reverse a Pattern of Appeasement by Arresting Iran’s Genocidal President”. In this article, he called for the trial of Iranian President Ebrahim Reisi. As being one of the influential members of the Death Commission, responsible for the death and execution of more than 30,000 political prisoners in the summer of 1988, mostly members and supporters of the main opposition to the mullahs, the Mojahedin Khalq Organization of Iran.

UK

In his Town Hall article, he also called for an investigation of Raisi as head of the judiciary during the widespread uprisings of November 2019 in Iran. Regime’s thugs, plainclothes security personnel, and armed members of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) opened fire at the peaceful demonstrators and killed more than 1500, arresting more than 12,000 and wounding and injuring many. The uprising was initiated for an overnight triple price hike of gas.

On another event, on September 6, David Amess also addressed a Parliamentary Information Security Council conference in Budapest, Hungary. In this speech, he remarked:
One of the most honorable things I have done in my political life is to support the National Council of Resistance of Iran, which wants to replace the Iranian regime with a safer and more democratic government. He added that I myself attended a conference of the National Council of Resistance in Paris in 2018, in which an Iranian diplomat had planned a terrorist attack, which was fortunately foiled by French police before the bombing took place.
In his speech, he stressed that the world must now be more aware than ever of the international threat posed by the Iranian regime.
It is noteworthy that the above diplomat, named Assadollah Asadi, the third secretary of the Iranian embassy in Vienna was sentenced to 20 years in prison after a trial in Belgium in February 2021.

Earlier, David Amess had spoken in support of the Iranian opposition in other sessions of the British Parliament and had repeatedly expressed his support for the Iranian people’s quest and desire for a regime change in Iran and the establishment of a democratic government based on the separation of religion and state-led by Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the National Council of Iran.

The investigation into the murder of David Amess is still ongoing, and we will have to wait for a while until the facts become clear that who really was behind this brutal murder.

by: Cyrus Yaqubi

Cyrus Yaqubi is a Research Analyst and Iranian Foreign Affairs Commentator investigating the social issues and economy of the Middle East countries in general and Iran in particular.

French-British Relations Sour UK sets out plans to make great shift to virtually zero-carbon economy

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.