UK to ban Islamic fundamentalist group

The British government has announced a ban on the radical Islamist group Islam4UK under counter-terrorism laws. An offshoot of al-Muhajiroun (UID 38696), Islam4UK has already been proscribed under two other names – al-Ghurabaa and The Saved Sect. Membership to Islam4UK is now a criminal offence punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Al-Muhajiroun was co-founded by the radical cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed (UID 38697), now exiled from Britain.

US charges three alleged Al Qaida associates with narco-terrorism

Three suspected Al-Qaida associates have been charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy and conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization in a New York federal court. The men have allegedly agreed to assist the transport hundreds of kilograms of cocaine through West and North Africa to Spain. Evidences revealed that part of the fees for the route protection has been slated for turnover to Al-Qaida (UID 7246) and to Al-Qaida in the Islamic Magreb (AQIM) (UID 39178). According to a statement filed in court, one of the arrested men has mentioned having previously worked with Al-Qaida affiliates in North Africa for drug and human smuggling operations.

India signs Mou for AML and CFT with three countries in 2009

The Indian government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Russia, Malaysia and Brazil in 2009 to combat money laundering and terror financing. The MoU will enable the respective countries’ Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) to mutually share information on suspected money laundering activities. Negotiations with 30 countries to enhance international cooperation to fight illegal routing of money and hawala-like operations for terrorist activities are also underway.

UK-US to strengthen counter-terrorism efforts in Yemen and Somalia

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has revealed plans to further strengthen counter-terrorism efforts with US in Yemen and Somalia in light of last month’s failed plane bombing attempt over Detroit, USA. Speaking to a media outfit, the Prime Minister said, “Yemen has been recognized, like Somalia, to be one of the areas we have got not only to keep an eye on, but we’ve got do more. So, it’s strengthening counter-terrorism cooperation, it’s working harder on intelligence efforts”. The Prime Minister also asked for the Yemen and Somalia threat to be to be placed on the agenda in the EU General Affairs Council meeting in January. He also called for a stronger action on Yemen from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Gibraltar publishes draft legislation to target terror financing

Gibraltar has published a draft Counter Terrorism Act which is designed to bolster the existing framework currently available to regulators and law enforcement to combat the financing of terrorism. The Finance Minister will under 'very specific' circumstances be able to order financial services to tighten the monitoring of both clients and transactions and in addition provide information to the authorities.

Report warned of criminal exploitation of aircraft

In 2008, a US agency report warned of an expanding fleet of rogue aircrafts reportedly being used to transport drugs from the cocaine-producing areas in South America controlled by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) (UID 1053) into West Africa and the Sahel. The drugs then are disseminated through North Africa to European cities by elements allegedly linked to the Al- Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) (UID 39178). The problem has now escalated into a global security threat and it is feared that the smuggling operations may involve other items such as firearms.

“We have acquired evidence that the two streams of illicit drugs -- heroin into Eastern Africa and cocaine into West Africa -- are now meeting in the Sahara, creating new trafficking routes across Chad, Niger and Mali. Repercussions in neighbouring countries (in the Maghreb for example) are inevitable... as cocaine from the West is being traded 1:1 with heroin from the East, drugs are becoming a sort of new currency in the area. Drugs not only enrich organized crime. Like in the Andeans and in West Asia, terrorists and anti-government forces in the Sahel extract resources from the drug trade to fund their operations, purchase equipment and pay foot-soldiers."

Emerging Trends: Money Mules by BC Tan, Head of Organised Crime Research, World-Check

Cybercrime is a particularly fast growing and evolving criminal trade that is unfortunately inadequately understood. In the recent years, there has been a clear proliferation in both the quantity and complexity of cybercrime - rapidly evolving into far more complex and coordinated syndicates; which has enabled a shift away from simply targeting vulnerable consumers to focusing on financial institutions.

Read More...

In December the UKHMT issued a number of press releases regarding changes to their Al-Qaida and Taliban lists. Please click on the date to review the original press release. 2009-12-07 2009-12-08 2009-12-14. 2009-12-15 2009-12-16(4) 2009-12-16(3) 2009-12-16(2) 2009-12-16(1)

In October the European Union issued two press releases pertaining to their Al Qaida and Taliban list on 2009-12-15 (1) and 2009-12-15 (2) .

The US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) made no chages to their Taliban and Al-Qaida listings during December 2009.

The United Nations made one amendment in December, read the full release by clicking here

EVENTS:

World-Check Seminars 2010


In 2010 World-Check plans to once again hold Seminars on the pertinent issues surrounding mitigating risk. In the early part of the year our Expert speakers will be in Asia and also in the United Kingdom. Look out for news on our website of when World-Check will be in your area, you may also contact our team at events@world-check.com

WORLD-CHECK NEWS

Please click here to read the latest and previous Expert Talk articles which explore and give an insight into the many facets and strategies employed by terrorist and insurgent groups across the globe to finance their activities.

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