Subscribe to Print Edition | Sat., December 06, 2008 Kislev 9, 5769 | | Israel Time: 02:17 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate GA 2008 Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 00:52 19/11/2008
U.S. paper: War on terror must include war on terrorists' cash
By Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz Correspondent

Advertisement
"We've seen some evolutionary changes in the nature of the terrorism financing," Levitt, director of The Washington Institute's Stein Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, said Sunday.

Speaking at the publication launch event, he added that "this is an ongoing effort. Outside the academic community you're challenged on questions, why is it important and how effective it is, because the individual terrorist attacks don't cost too much money. It's a largely misunderstood area."

Levitt stressed that the attempt to block terror funding is "only one tool," but governments would be remiss to underestimate its importance.

"It won't solve problems and it won't prevent people devoted to terror from pursuing their goals, but it will make it more difficult for adversaries to fulfill their plans. We don't know exactly how much money they have, but terrorists need money. Each individual attack doesn't cost so much money, but training, recruiting, equipping, providing for families of the attackers, that costs tremendous amounts of money. It might slow them down."

Some recent case studies, he added, show that over recent years terror cells have become "very stingy with money. They're using it very carefully."

The campaign to stem terror funding might also have deterring effect on donors. "When major donors see others having troubles with their businesses, they'll think twice before putting their financial empires in risk," he said.


The paper argues that there are still serious problems preventing non-profit organizations from funding terror. "It's a delicate issue," admitted Levitt. "Many countries are not eager to take this on because, of course, one of the pillars of Islam is charity. There's a lot of discomfort within the academic community about this issue, and the abuse of charities continues to be critical problem."

Another problem stems from the governments' success in disrupting the institutionalized money flow - as a result, terrorist activity became "franchised." Levitt explained "globalization and technological change present opportunities for our adversaries as well. We see new tools - cell phones used to transfer money; using internet provides cheap, fast and relatively secure means of communication."

"The groups are instructing donors to go to the local offices rather than going through the headquarters," he added.

Instead of centralized funding, local cells affiliated with Al-Qaida now have to rely on themselves to raise funds. They transfer money to relatives' accounts, to make it more difficult to track, and some of the organizations engage in criminal activities to obtain the necessary financing, especially in the drug trade.

The 2004 Madrid train bombing was carried out by a cell which raised most of its money selling hashish. Also in Spain, authorities have seen many Pakistani Jihadists perpetrating petty crimes, presumably to finance extremist groups in Pakistan. The state sponsorship of terror, such as Iran's financing of Hamas and Hezbollah, also remains one of the biggest challenges.

The Gulf region, they say, is still the major source of terror financing, but some Gulf countries have made progress in dealing with this issue, as has the private sector. But many terrorist cells have shifted to cash, a form of terror funding which requires a different response, while in some countries governments still can't agree on a common interpretation of existing guidelines, not to mention more innovative and active approaches to dealing with the problem.

Finally, the paper's authors argued that despite the growing complacency as 9/11 grows distant, and the difficulty in coordinating international efforts, the financial battle ultimately pays off because in some cases insufficient funds might prevent terrorists from carrying out the attacks. They stressed, however, that fighting terror on the financial level will only be effective in the future if the administration of president-elect Barak Obama gives the required attention to all aspects of the war on terror.

"Keeping financiers on the defensive and denying them the luxury of time and space puts them under stress, deters donors, restricts the flow of funds, and helps constrict the operating environment," they concluded.
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
Settler rampage
Video shows settler shooting Palestinian in the stomach from point-blank range.
Living side by side
An historic Chicago synagogue neighbors Barack Obama's house.
  1.   Eliminating the need for oil would be the biggest blow 01:05  |  David G 19/11/08
  2.   Haaretz, lobbyists, and phony non-think tanks 02:12  |  Mark Lincoln 19/11/08
  3.   I agree David G 02:15  |  Mark Lincoln 19/11/08
  4.   If Haaretz Headline Concur with the paper from Policy Focus from 03:33  |  Joseph.E 19/11/08
  5.   #1 David G. Yes 14:32  |  Petra 19/11/08
  6.   UAE is No. 1 Choice for sending funds 23:29  |  Yuri 05/12/08
 Read & React
Israel braces for settler violence in wake of Hebron house evacuation
Responses: 93
Avi Issacharoff: Hebron settler riots were out and out pogroms
Responses: 106
Traditional circumcision raises risk of infection, study shows
Responses: 18
Obama's 'Palestinian friend' laments catastrophic U.S. policy in Mideast
Responses: 92


More Headlines
01:22 Bush: America will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon
23:58 Palestinians protest rampage by Hebron settlers
23:52 Report: Lebanese general Aoun met Mossad agents during Paris exile
00:22 Israeli embassy in Mexico gets mail with explosive trace
19:52 Egyptian group slams Arab world's poor human rights record
22:44 Jimmy Carter to visit Syria, Lebanon next week
21:24 Study finds genes of Sephardic Jews still strong in Spain
21:53 Amid Hebron tensions, U.S. tells nationals: Keep out of Jerusalem
07:29 Obama's 'Palestinian friend' laments catastrophic U.S. policy in Mideast
21:25 U.S. Treasury announces sanctions on dealing with terror suspects
22:45 El Al plane makes emergency landing in T.A. due to fire on board
21:51 VIDEO / IDF bolsters forces across West Bank in wake of Hebron house eviction
14:53 ANALYSIS / Hebron settler riots were out and out pogroms
15:21 Chabad, family of Mumbai victims at odds over nanny's media interviews
07:58 Traditional circumcision raises risk of infection, study shows
11:30 Gaza aid groups recycle border wall rubble for water and housing projects
08:00 Report: India has proof Pakistan spy agency linked to Mumbai attacks
Previous Editions
Special Offers
Advertisement
Summer in Israel
Israeli style - Tzofim Chetz V'Keshet 2009
Living in Israel Studying in English
Click & Meet our students from all around the world
Fattal Hotel Chain
Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
Car rental in Israel
Shlomo Sixt Receive $15.00 from our low rates.
Eldan Rent a Car
Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
Jewish Singles Personal Ads
Find the love of your life on JDate.com
Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
www. israel-property.com
Hebrew Summer courses
From $39.95
Junkyard
Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved
ence / haaretz.com / Pages -->