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Following Terrorists' Money

(Washington Post) Victor Comras - The U.S. and several other countries have touted their success in identifying terrorist cells and cutting off terrorism financing. Yet evidence is mounting that large sums are still being raised and transferred to al-Qaeda terrorists, including the insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan. UN-designated al-Qaeda financiers such as Youssef Nada and Ahmed Idris Nasreddin continue to run their business networks. Saudi millionaire Yassin Qadi, who has been listed by the UN as a supporter of terrorism, continues to direct his international business empire from Switzerland and Saudi Arabia. The Saudi government pledged to close the al-Haramain Islamic Foundation and its branches around the world, and to more closely monitor the outward flow of charitable funds, but there are few indications that it has actually done so. Al-Haramain branches remain operational in several countries, while other branches have merely changed their names. Charities in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries are still being used to raise money for the Iraqi insurgency. It's time for the U.S. to insist that all identified terrorist financiers be put out of business. We must also hold those responsible for administering charitable funds to the highest standards of accountability. There can be no impunity for permitting charitable funds to flow into the hands of terrorists. The writer is a former State Department official and member of the UN al-Qaeda monitoring group.
2005-06-09 00:00:00
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