" data-large-file="https://madden-finucane.com/files/2025/10/israeli-genocide_gaza-city_2023-10-07-1024x683.jpg" class="size-full wp-image-21327" src="https://madden-finucane.com/files/2025/10/israeli-genocide_gaza-city_2023-10-07.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800" /> Smoke and flames billow after Israeli forces struck a high-rise tower in Gaza City, 7th October 2023
Invest NI accused of failing to review funding decisions
A company in Northern Ireland supplied parts for F-35 fighter jets, despite assurances from economy ministers that Invest NI does not support projects that supply arms to Israel.
Act Now campaigners have said evidence of these approvals confirms what its members have long suspected, that Moyola Precision Engineering, based in Castledawson, "is complicit in Israel's genocidal bombing of Gaza".
Moyola has been contacted for comment.
At present, Madden & Finucane Solicitors is acting in judicial review proceedings against the Department for the Economy and Invest NI over funding companies directly involved in the F-35 supply chain, jets that may be used in Gaza. Invest NI has given around £20m to companies with operations in Northern Ireland that manufacture components for the combat aircraft.
Moyola received £5.67m from Invest NI in the past 22 years, with some of that allocated in 2023/24.
A document newly uncovered by Act Now shows that arms company BAE Systems wrote to Moyola in May 2021 with a heading, "BAE Systems-Air (Aircraft Business Units) Supplier Quality Approval Letter".
Further down it mentions that the supply of product shall be in accordance with the BAE Systems F-35 Lightning II programme.
A separate document from 2018 certifies that the "scope of approval" for Moyola is, "Machined TIG-3 aluminium components for JSF F-35 Marvin Pylons".
A website dedicated to the fighter jets describes the F-35 as "the most lethal, survivable and connected fighter aircraft in the world".
BAE Systems is said to have been a part of the F-35 programme since its inception, "bringing decades of expertise into the development, manufacture, electronic warfare systems and sustainment of the world's most advanced fighter jet".
Anti-war campaigners recently shut down Castledawson roundabout as they held a protest outside Moyola.
" data-large-file="https://madden-finucane.com/files/2025/10/letter-from-bae-systems-to-moyola-precision-engineering.webp" class="size-full wp-image-21330" src="https://madden-finucane.com/files/2025/10/letter-from-bae-systems-to-moyola-precision-engineering.webp" alt="" width="960" height="640" /> Letter from BAE Systems to Moyola Precision Engineering
" data-large-file="https://madden-finucane.com/files/2025/10/letter-from-bae-systems-referencing-the-f-35-programme.webp" class="size-full wp-image-21329" src="https://madden-finucane.com/files/2025/10/letter-from-bae-systems-referencing-the-f-35-programme.webp" alt="" width="960" height="640" /> Letter from BAE Systems referencing the F-35 programme
" data-large-file="https://madden-finucane.com/files/2025/10/certificate-to-provide-f-35-parts.webp" class="size-full wp-image-21319" src="https://madden-finucane.com/files/2025/10/certificate-to-provide-f-35-parts.webp" alt="" width="960" height="470" /> Certificate to provide F-35 parts
Meanwhile investigative news website, The Detail, previously reported how Martin Butcher, Oxfam's policy adviser on arms and conflict, said that the unique set-up of the F-35 programme means it is "absolutely" the case that parts produced in the UK – including Northern Ireland – would end up in Israeli jets.
He said it is a certainty that components produced in the UK are going to Israel "either in new aircraft from the United States or as parts from a regional warehouse".
This would be the same for parts of components made in Northern Ireland, "because those parts will go for assembly within BAE factories and then on to the global supply system".
That was a point Invest NI itself admitted in private communications first reported by the Belfast Telegraph.
The Invest NI employee told Government departments: "NI has a number of companies in the supply chain supplying components to larger businesses that may ultimately end up in Israel."
They added: "While these businesses may have no control over where components end up, media are seeking responses from NI government about supporting businesses that then potentially feed into the conflict."
Roan Ellis-O'Neill from the campaign group added: "Moyola Precision Engineering makes various types of components for some of the biggest companies in the F-35 supply chain, such as BAE Systems.
"Not only that, Moyola makes specialised components so that these warplanes can carry and drop bombs on Gaza.
"And Invest NI's multi-million pound state funding of Moyola Precision Engineering has made the public complicit in Israel's genocidal assault."
He said that "Moyola Precision Engineering would not have been able to expand into F-35 supply chains without Invest NI's specialised financial, strategic and administrative support".
"It was only last month that Invest NI sponsored and exhibited with Moyola Precision Engineering at the Defence and Security Equipment International exhibition in London – the world's largest arms fair where massive arms companies who sell weapons to Israel were in attendance."
He added: "Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald told us back in April that Invest NI will complete its review of this funding within six months.
"Time is now up and we have seen no evidence that a review has taken place.
"The very fact that tens of hundreds of everyday people across NI outraged by Israel's genocide in Gaza have continued to take action to reveal this funding, discover more companies' connected to the F-35 programme, further expose these companies links to the Israeli military and demand accountability from Invest NI – and not Minister Caoimhe Archibald – demonstrates a serious failure of basic governance.
"We call for a fully independent investigation of Invest NI funding."
In response, an Invest NI spokesperson said: "Invest NI does not provide funding for projects involved in the manufacture of arms or their components, for supply to Israel. Given the ongoing legal proceedings, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time."
Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald added: "I have been clear in my opposition to Israel's genocide in Gaza and have asked Invest NI to review its investments to ensure that it is not supporting projects that arm Israel. The review will be completed and published in the coming weeks."
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