British police have reportedly decided to drop the investigation against Anglican minister Canon Andrew White, who was being investigated for supposedly paying a ransom to ISIS to free women who were being held by the terrorist group as sex slaves.
White, who previously served as the vicar of St. George's Church in Baghdad, Iraq, has stated that no action will be taken against him following an investigation into the claims that he paid money to ISIS.
The vicar said that he had not paid any money to the terror group and that he used his contacts to negotiate the release of about six Yazidi women.
In a recent interview with Premier, the vicar decried the investigation against him.
"I have had this police investigation hanging over my head because I did the awful thing of trying to get back sex slaves from ISIS. What I didn't do at any time was pay money to ISIS," he told Premier.
"It was a story which really had no foundation because at no time had I ever committed this crime," he added.
The vicar explained in an interview with the Sunday Times that the authorities were convinced that he could only have facilitated the release of the captives by paying a ransom.
He claimed that he had previously formed relationships with some Iraqis who then later joined ISIS. He said that he was able to convince some of his acquaintances to help him negotiate the release of a few captives.
White, who has been dubbed the vicar of Baghdad, had to step down from his position as president of the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East (FRRME) in 2016 after he was accused of paying a ransom to ISIS.
The Charity Commission is currently investigating the organization, according to Premier.
The organization said in a statement to Premier "The Reverend Canon Andrew White resigned as president of the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East on grounds of ill health in October 2016."
"There is an ongoing Charity Commission investigation, and, as it is an active investigation, we are unable to say anything more about it," the FFRME continued.
