U.S. Treasury Department Under Secretary David Cohen gave these remarks on "Kidnapping for Ransom: The Growing Terrorist Financing Challenge" at Chatham House in London on October 5, 2012.
The Council of Europe Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime and on the Financing of Terrorism was adopted in Warsaw, Poland on May 16, 2005.
Authors: Stuart Levey and Christy Clark Foreign Policy
Stuart Levey and Christy Clark argue that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is the world's premier standard-setting body for combating terrorist financing and money laundering, and it should develop and enforce standards for sanctions implementation.
Financial pressures have weakened al-Qaeda's tactical abilities, but analysts say affiliated networks are finding new ways to raise and spend money, complicating efforts to squeeze a savvy foe.
Authors: Christopher M. Blanchard and Alfred B. Prados
This CRS report for Congress reviews allegations of Saudi involvement in terrorist financing together with Saudi rebuttals, discusses the question of Saudi support for Palestinian organizations and religious charities and schools abroad, discusses recent steps taken by Saudi Arabia to counter terrorist financing (many in conjunction with the United States), and suggests some implications of recent Saudi actions for the war on terrorism.
This paper from Matthew Levitt, director of the Stein program on terrorism, intelligence and policy at the Washington Institute describes extensive US and British actions actions designed to block channels of financial support used by international terrorists.
In this policy paper, Michael Jacobson, a senior fellow in The Washington Institute's Stein Program on Terrorism, Intelligence, and Policy, says that despite new British initiatives to combat terrorist financing following the July 2005 terrorist subway and bus attacks in London and the disrupted terrorist plot to blow up U.S.-bound planes flying from Heathrow airport in August 2006, the efforts of the European Union (EU) to do the same lack consistency and effect. He says bureaucratic obstacles limit European efforts to designate terrorist entities and freeze their assets.
Matthew Levitt, an expert on terrorism financing, applauds efforts by U.S. officials to "think outside the box" and apply financial pressure against Iranian banks.
Notes of remarks by Matthew Levitt at a recent Washington Institute policy forum on combating terrorism financing in which he said that in addition to publicly reported interventions to disrupt the financing of terrorist activities, the US government and its allies are also conducting equally productive anti-terror activities through diplomacy, law enforcement, covert activity, and intelligence collection.
Speakers: David D. Aufhauser, Sue E. Eckert, and John B. Taylor Presider: Maurice Sonnenberg
Three experts discuss the sources of terrorist funds, what efforts are underway to track and freeze terrorist assets, and how effectively terrorist organizations are using the global financial system to support their activities.
Stopping the ability of terrorists to finance their operations is a key component of the U.S. counterterrorism strategy. To accomplish this, the Administration has implemented a three-tiered approach based on (1) intelligence and domestic legal and regulatory efforts; (2) technical assistance to provide capacity-building programs for U.S. allies; and (3) global efforts to create international norms and guidelines. Effective implementation of this strategy requires the participation of, and coordination among, several elements of the U.S. Government. This report provides an agency-by-agency survey of U.S. efforts.
Authors: Alfred B. Prados and Christopher M. Blanchard
This report reviews allegations of Saudi involvement in terrorist financing together with Saudi rebuttals, discusses the question of Saudi support for religious charities and schools (madrasas) abroad, discusses recent steps taken by Saudi Arabia to counter terrorist financing (many in conjunction with the United States), and suggests some implications of recent Saudi actions for the war on terrorism.
The Council on Foreign Relations' David Rockefeller Studies Program—CFR's "think tank"—is home to more than seventy full-time, adjunct, and visiting scholars and practitioners (called "fellows"). Their expertise covers the world's major regions as well as the critical issues shaping today's global agenda. Download the printable CFR Experts Guide.
The author analyzes the potentially serious consequences, both at home and abroad, of a lightly overseen drone program and makes recommendations for improving its governance.