Latest ArticlesDrug War at Sea: Rise of the Narco Subs May 14, 2012 • Dailybeast-Newsweek After a two-year manhunt, the United States Drug Enforcement Agency last week arrested Colombian drug kingpin Javier Antonio Calle Serna, a senior leader of Los Rastrojos, one of the country's most formidable drug-trafficking organizations. After being indicted last summer by the Eastern District of New York, Serna reportedly felt so squeezed by the agency and rival drug dealers that he began negotiating for his surrender.
Courting 'financial pariah' status April 13, 2012 • Bangkok Post This past February, Thailand was added to a high-risk blacklist by an international organization many people have never heard of. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) was established by the Group of Seven (G7) in 1989 to combat money laundering and terrorism finance. Being added to the FATF "high-risk" country list may not sound terrible, but in many circles, it is akin to being labeled a financial pariah. Thailand now joins the ranks of countries that include North Korea, Iran, Syria, Pakistan, and Myanmar, to name just a few. In most contexts, these are not countries people normally wish to be associated with.
Как Москва помогает решить иранскую проблему April 12, 2012 • Россия (Moscow Times) Хотя сообщения в новостях могут создать совсем другое впечатление, Россия, на деле, играет конструктивную роль в попытках решить имеющую много аспектов проблему иранской ядерной программы. На это указывает, например, тот факт, что в прошлом месяце второй по величине финансовый институт в России закрыл счета иранского посольствам в Москве. Хотя этот шаг не привлек к себе внимания СМИ ни по ту, ни по другую сторону Атлантики, он указывает на готовность Кремля противодействовать стремлению Ирана получить ядерное оружие.
How Moscow is Helping Solve the Iran Problem April 12, 2012 • Moscow Times Though news reports generally give a very different impression, Russia is actually playing a constructive role in dealing with the multifaceted issue of Iran's nuclear program. One hint came last month, when Russia's second-largest financial institution closed the accounts of Iran's Embassy in Moscow. While given little attention by the media on either side of the Atlantic, this move signals the Kremlin's willingness to confront Iran on its march toward nuclearization.
MTN has no business aiding terror in Iran March 25, 2012 • Sunday Times - South Africa MTN has a corporate responsibility to cease doing business with Iran and colluding with a state sponsor of terror that uses its technology to track, silence and kill its people. The South African government should take immediate action to prevent this abuse of the telecommunications industry.
Do Downer and Brumby support Huawei in Iran? March 14, 2012 • The Australian Huawei Technologies has an aggressive plan to become the No 1 provider of telecommunications services, Down Under and across the globe, in less than five years. Unfortunately, in the recent past, this Asian giant has played a key role in helping the Iranian government, the world's most dangerous state sponsor of terror, to monitor, track, and kill those who oppose it. The Australian government should consider forcing Huawei and other Asian companies to make a choice: trade with Iran or trade with Australia, but they cannot do both.
Huawei Set Challenge by Sanctions on Iran March 2, 2012 • Asia Times In recent years, a large number of Asian companies have profited by doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States and the European Union have struck back, cutting off access to these companies' markets by levying sanctions on Iran. As a result, Asian giants such as Huawei Technologies, one of the world's largest and most powerful telecommunications firms, have finally decided to cut back their Iranian dealings. Those companies that have yet to make the right decision should consider carefully whether doing business with the mullahs is worth the risk.
February 23, 2012 • CNN.com Last week, one of the most important international banking organizations said it was preparing to ban blacklisted Iranian banks for their role in facilitating illicit financial transactions. Although existing international sanctions have placed significant pressure on Tehran, the United States and the European Union have the ability to render a knockout blow that would significantly curtail Iran's access to the international financial sector.
The Terrorists in Europe's Backyard December 20, 2011 • Wall Street Journal Europe's security is being threatened by a terrorist organization that many people have never heard of. Last week, al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), based in north Africa and active since 2002, posted pictures of five Europeans kidnapped in November and currently being held in Mali. Formerly known as the Salafi Group for Preaching and Combat, AQIM is an al Qaeda affiliate whose principal aim is to overthrow the Algerian government and establish an Islamic state governed by Shariah law in north Africa, Spain and Portugal. The group has a presence not only in Algeria but also in Mali, Niger and Mauritania. It has not yet solidified its foothold elsewhere in the Maghreb, including Morocco, Libya and Tunisia.
Enforce Existing Laws against Iran December 5, 2011 • Washington Times In recent years, the United States has imposed punishing sanctions on Iran's financial sector. Last week, the U.S. Treasury Department announced new measures intended to hamper Iran's ability to raise and move funds internationally. Several Western allies have followed suit in an attempt to tighten the noose around the Islamic Republic and curb its ability to achieve nuclearization. Yet a close analysis of Treasury's action demonstrates that the new sanctions regime is far weaker than existing laws and falls short of the moves that members of Congress are demanding. What is needed is not new measures, but better implementation of existing statues.
Is Citibank Being Abused By The Islamic Republic Of Iran? November 15, 2011 • Forbes In a court decision that has received surprisingly little media coverage, a New York District judge ordered Citibank to freeze almost $2 billion of debt-securities allegedly belonging to the Islamic Republic of Iran. This past August, victims of Iranian terror sued Luxembourg-based clearing house and bank Clearstream for allegedly assisting Iran to move $250 million in frozen assets out of the United States. This case deserves more attention, not only in view of the high dollar amount involved, but also for its potential to reveal how the Iranian government could be exploiting international financial clearing houses to contravene U.S. sanctions.
Enforcing Existing Sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran November 7, 2011 • Washington Times In recent years, the United States has imposed a punishing sanctions regime on Iran's banking sector. To further increase Tehran's level of financial pain, a great number of Congressional and advocacy groups have repeatedly called on the White House to blacklist the Central Bank of Iran (CBI). Doing so, the thinking goes, would seriously hamper the Islamic Republic's ability to abuse international markets in its pursuit of nuclear weapons. Yet unbeknownst to most lawmakers and Washington policymakers, the U.S. Treasury actually has blacklisted the CBI, and not once but twice in recent years. The real question is why the U.S. government has not enforced its own sanctions regime.
Iran's Mystery Banker in Canada October 31, 2011 • Jerusalem Post As details of the Iranian terror plot to blow up the Saudi Embassy in Washington DC become clearer, the U.S. and other Western allies will look to punish Iran. One of the most powerful ways to influence Iran is through the banking sector. Through an interesting turn of events, Canada is in a position to exert significant financial leverage through one individual in particular. One of the world's most important international bankers is currently residing in Toronto after fleeing his country of origin. Mahmoud Reza Khavari was until recently the head of Iran's Bank Melli, an institution notorious for assisting in Iran's proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and financing of terrorism. Canadian authorities have yet to take action against Mr. Khavari, who represents a potential gold mine of information regarding how Iranian banks raise and move money around the globe.
Double Trouble: Bankrolling and Broadcasting Terror October 6, 2011 • Jakarta Post Indonesian companies and financial institutions are poised to help Iran sidestep international sanctions by setting up a joint bank to facilitate billions of dollars of annual trade between the two countries. In addition, the Indonesian government is allowing its national satellite company to broadcast one of the world's most vitriolic television stations, al-Manar, which is owned by Hizballah, a recognized terrorist organization sponsored financially and operationally by Iran. While the Indonesian government clearly feels it is in its interest to expand business relations with Iran, this would facilitate Iran's march toward nuclearization. Furthermore, by failing to take a strong stance against Iran and Hizballah, and in particular, al-Manar, Indonesia is allowing a rogue regime and its proxy to proliferate terrorism and radicalize Muslims around the world, including in Indonesia.
Using economic levers to hurt Al-Shabaab September 26, 2011 • CNN.com In recent weeks, the United Nations has sponsored meetings in Mogadishu to help Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG) improve security, promote reconciliation and draw up a new constitution for the war-ravaged country. One of the biggest obstacles to ensuring peace in Somalia, however, is Al-Shabaab, a terrorist organization, which controls large swaths of the country and siphons off aid meant to help the country's destitute. While the international community focuses its attention on the best ways to help Somalia, much more can be done to curtail Al-Shabaab's influence.
September 23, 2011 • The Weekly Standard As the Obama administration reviews its Afghanistan and Pakistan policy, looking for creative means to challenge extremist funding, the drug trade is increasingly coming into focus. Afghanistan's booming narcotics industry generates much of the money that flows into terrorists' coffers, and increased production in recent years has overlapped with a sharp rise in Taliban attacks on coalition forces. Captured Taliban have confessed that most of their funding comes from the drug trade. And it is an open secret that much of Afghanistan's illicit money is through commodities and trade. |
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