Financial facilitators: an important component of terror networks
| Pages | 294-303 |
| Date | 06 July 2012 |
| Published date | 06 July 2012 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/13685201211238043 |
| Author | S.V. Raghavan,V. Balasubramaniyan |
| Subject Matter | Accounting & finance |
Financial facilitators:
an important component
of terror networks
S.V. Raghavan and V. Balasubramaniyan
Department of Defense and Strategic Studies & Research Center,
Gurunanak College, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the financial facilitators who provide financial
muscle to terrorists.
Design/methodology/approach – The methodology adopted is based on the available materials on
two major terrorists groups: Al Qaeda and LTTE, who have terrorized the global community in the
last two decades.
Findings – The key findings are that most financial facilitators are knowledgeable, literate and
suave and who are kin of the top leadership or part of the clan/sect. Kinship is an important factor for
trust worthiness, which leads to their association with the top level leadership for a decade or so, to
handle aspects related to a terror group. Also, illegal fund raising/moving aspects are controlled by
financial/operational heads of groups, while legal fund raising methods are handled by sympathizers.
Research limitations/implications – The methodology is based on descriptive analysis of
existing materials gathered from different writings of different persons in different places, as none of
the traditional approaches to the study is possible. The only possible method for analysis is a
behavioural approach, and that too on a selective basis, not in total.
Practical implications – Government intelligence agencies need to strive to identify such
facilitators, who in turn may lead them to the top leadership, as happened in the cases of Osama bin
laden and Hambali.
Originality/value – There is no previous systematic approach which has attempted to study the
financial facilitators who provide financial muscle to terrorists. The value of this paper lies in its
originality of presentation of facts in a systematic fashion.
Keywords Terrorism, Financing, Terrorism financing,Terrorist financial network, Fundingterror,
Financial facilitators, Terror financehierarchy
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Terrorism has been an age-old problem for every state in the world. From the developed
to the under developed, from modern to traditional, from religious to secular, all states
have suffered at the hands of terrorists.
The terrorists operate with a defined objective to create panic through violence.
Terrorism has thrived in different forms over the last century. Be it ideological, religious
or ethnic, most of the groups have outlived governments, mainly due to support from
both internal and external factors. Groups like Al Qaeda has been existent since the early
1990s facing subsequent US Governments. External factors to the group like popular
support, domestic and international political scenario and internal factors like a strong
ideology, abundant financial and human resources are the main reasons for a terror
group’s survival.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/1368-5201.htm
JMLC
15,3
294
Journal of Money Laundering Control
Vol. 15 No. 3, 2012
pp. 294-303
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
1368-5201
DOI 10.1108/13685201211238043
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