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Financing of Terror: Interconnection of Criminals and Terrorists

Aliheydar Rzayev, Ph.D. - 9/11/2007

Processes of forming of new geopolitical world's map have increased the significance of international terrorism as a political tool against leading Western states. Polarization of terrorist activity, artificial nobility of goals and methods, give terrorism the status of a liberation movement. But this is contrary to most international agreements and legislation of most developed countries where terrorism is classified as criminal action. "Political" terrorists distanced themselves from criminals, declaring that they come out against social policed systems on whole, but criminal elements, on the contrary, very loyally to the state, examined its as favorable environment for criminal actions. Despite political terrorism is very much like criminal activity.

A close relationship has been formed between international criminal organizations and terrorists. Very often the terrorist organizations used arms trade, drug dealing and smuggling to finance themselves. For example, in the some countries of Latin America, such as Peru, Bolivia and Columbia, activity of terrorist organizations is closely tied to the Mafia. In Somalia terrorism is closely tied with sea pirates. In Corsica terrorists are acting in close contacts with Sicilian mafia. It is often impossible who is responsible, mobsters or terrorists, for the seizure of hostages, hijacking, murdering of politicians, businessmen, journalists, holders of high positions in military and polis had terrorist or criminal character - especially in Russia and some other countries of the former USSR.

Implementation of terrorist operations required a presence of financial and material resources, training bases and shooting ranges, weapons and technical equipment, use of professionals and a developed intelligence network. Arms trade and drug dealing increase a concentration of significant financial funds in disposal of terrorist organizations. Very large amounts revenues from sponsors and protectors of terrorists (among them are several countries, as well as wealthy individuals, including Usama Bin Laden), who are able to finance wild-spread terrorist activity in any area of globe. Concentration of funds allows financing of a large quantity of professional fighters, passed the flashpoints of Middle East, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Chechnya, Kosovo and ready for actions in any regions.

Terrorism has been transformed into a very profitable global scale business with developed "labor market" (ordinary members of terrorist groups, mercenaries, technical supplementary and service personnel of training centers and underground laboratories, engineers, programmers etc.) and application of funds (supplement of weapon, drug dealing, fake firms, banks, founds and companies). For example, during the wars in the former Yugoslavia annual amounts of supplement of weapons, ammunition and military techniques exceed two billion dollars. Regions that have terrorist activity are often main sources of drugs. More than ten percent of the world arm trade falling on "gray" and "black" zones of this sphere.