Calls for ‘jihadi lioness’ boss of UK charity to be investigated

Telegraph

"A UK charity is being scrutinised after reports that its boss has been hailed a “jihadi lioness” and was the recipient of an award from the “Butcher of Tehran”. Syeda Umme Farwa, who runs the British-registered charity Labaik Ya Zahra (LYZ), is also alleged to have given platforms to alleged extremists at her charity’s events and mourned an Iranian general as a “martyr”. A joint investigation by The Times and the advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) found that Ms Farwa had been labelled a “jihadi lioness” in Iran. London-based LYZ calls for “women of today to be educated and independent” and pledges to “help mankind” by advancing the Muslim faith and women’s rights through workshops, conferences and protests. At a 2018 ceremony held in the Iranian city of Mashhad, Ms Farwa was filmed receiving an award in honour of her charity work in the UK from Ebrahim Raisi, the former hardline Iranian president known as the “Butcher of Tehran”."