Financing Al-Qaeda

Paper Summary:

This paper reviews the funding sources for al-Qaeda's past and current terrorist activities. The paper reports ways in which governments are attempting to block funds for terrorists. It discusses problems with some of the methods used to determine what money is being channeled to terrorist groups and reviews suggestions on how their efforts might be enhanced and improved.

Table of Contents:
Financing Al-Qaeda
Funding The Attacks Of September 11, 2001
Counterfeit Fund-raising
Solutions For Cutting Off Al-Qaeda Funding Sources
Islamic Charities Linked To Al-Qaeda
Counter-terrorism And Reality
"Shell Companies" Are Easy To Create

From the Paper:

"Meanwhile, some caution should be used when federal agencies in the U.S. seize assets of Islamic charities they believe to be connected to Al-Qaeda. That is the viewpoint of Patricia Rodriguez-Rey, whose thesis at the Naval Postgraduate School (Rodriguez-Rey 2006 p. 1) points to the fact that "Islamic charities account for a large portion of humanitarian assistance throughout the world." In her research paper ("A Balancing Act: Anti-Terror Financing Guidelines & Their Effects on Islamic Charities") the writer explains that the law enforcement agency within the Justice Department that handles seizures of charity-related assets is the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) division. Unfortunately, the PATRIOT ACT policies often "require little proof before assets are frozen and groups are blacklisted" (Rodriguez-Rey p. 4), and that can be unfair and unproductive."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Abuza, Zachary, 2003, 'Funding Terrorism in Southeast Asia: The Financial Network of Al Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiya', Contemporary Southeast Asia, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 169-178.
• Bush, George W, 2001, 'Terrorist Financing Fact Sheet', from The Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Department of the Treasury, retrieved 21 April 2007 from http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/po886.htm.
• Collins, Susan M, 2005, Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs United States Senate, 2005, 'Counterfeit Goods: Easy Cash for Criminals and Terrorists', One Hundred Ninth Congress.
• Dam, Kenneth W, 2002, 'Testimony of Kenneth W. Dam Deputy Secretary department of the Treasury Before the senate banking Committee, The United States Senate'. Retrieved 22 April 2007 from http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/po959.htm.
• Dishman, Chris D, 2004, 'Bankrolling terror', Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, May/June 2004, pp. 60-62.

More papers on Financing Al-Qaeda:

• Research Paper # 93114 : "Al-Qaeda's Terror Network"
• Research Paper # 115287 : "Al Qaeda - Current and Future Trends"
• Term Paper # 114692 : "Identifying Terrorist's Operational Cash Sources"

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