Good news. Andrew Cochran has details at the Counterterrorism Blog.
On 20 November 2007, Andrew Cochran reported on this blog about the success of the U.S. ITFC in shutting down elements of Al-Qaeda's financial network in Iraq, and that the government of a key Gulf state has assisted in these efforts. On the same day, the Washington Post published a report of its own about the U.S. efforts to break Iraqi insurgents’ financial networks, and the growing interest of insurgents in money rather than ideology.A significant evidence for the U.S. successes in this field has recently appeared from an unexpected direction - Al-Qaeda itself. The Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF)—the primary indoctrination and propaganda means of Al-Qaeda, published on the same day - 20 November 2007, on the main Jihadi forum of Al-Hesbah, an unprecedented announcement, which we may title A CALL FOR DONATIONS. It was not the first time that Jihadi elements posted material on the significance of the Jihad bil-Mal (financial Jihad). However, past writings on the issue have had the religious and indoctrination nature. This time it looks as a genuine call resulting out of a real stress. The post by the “official” GIMF provides it also a nature of an official call by Al-Qaeda, not just some group belonging to the Iraqi insurgency. It does not refer to Iraq or any other place in particular, and therefore, it might also indicate the stress in which the organization is found in other regions of Jihadi fight as well, in the field of finance.
Read it all.
Will Bush pony up the money?
Why don't they set up a group called "friends of islam" and apply to London council for a grant?
Tis the season for giving!
LOL! Only if it involves giving the country away to Mexico. Perhaps Al-Qa'ida should just claim to be Mexican.
Hopefully they are having trouble funding the usual, every day, murder and mayhem. Meaning;.. Makes me wonder if a certain country may be having an X-mas sale on a special gift for the infidel.
Are the poor, unhappy jihadists out of money?
Just apply for a Small Business Loan.
Or claim to need counter-terrorism training like Fatah.
Better yet, just bill the federal government directly. There is bound to be some unthinking bureaucrat who will rubber stamp it and cut the check.
I know! Claim to be an endangered species! (this has an element of truth to it)
Hmmm, I thought that the financial counter-terror laws only *ahem*"persecuted" INNOCENT people?
Does that mean they can't influence another election THIS time around? Time to call John Houang & Charlie Trie...again.
(/sarc)
I would like to suggest to monitor the site were the donations come in over the Internet. And take away the money as soon as it is registered.
I realize that encryption is involved but in this case I see no problem breaking it if it is possible. Like what we did during WWII with Germany and Japan. Also if they have a Swiss accounts or an accounts somewhere that we monitor them and take the money if it starts showing up after a while.
This is an open suggestion to those that are in the thick of it and would not admit it if they knew because of National Security.
Ecc 7:12
Wisdom or money can get you almost anything, but it's important to know that only wisdom can save your life.
رعايه الطفولة المبكره 7:12
حكمة او الاموال تستطيع الحصول على أي شيء تقريبا لكم ، ولكن المهم ان نعرف ان الحكمة فقط يمكن ان تنقذ حياتك
Gosh. I feel sorry for them.
I know you all won't forgive me but I'm going to contribute the entire some of my next monthly check from the Elders of Zion to them.
Ya gotta have heart!
LOL...ya wise @$$!
(/sarc)
"Will Bush pony up the money?"
That ain't funny. I'm going through some interesting books about the Balkan wars (curently "The Coming Balkan Caliphate"), and the amount of tacit US support is scary. It's not just Carter founding and funding the Taliban movement.
Somehow it seems the perception was that if we acted in a friendly manner towards the Muslims of the Balkans, making clear that no animosity lingered from the embassy bombings and other large terrorist acts, it should be possible to win the friendship of Muslims in the Balkans. But when this tolerance was withdrawn, bin Laden issued his first fatwa to kill Jews and Americans anywhere. That was in 1999, and he sure made good on his word.
'Dismal failure' describes this policy reasonably.
An important task for the coming years is to uproot Wahhabi influence and mafia/Islamist networks in the Balkans.
Their approach is all wrong. How about...
(cue somber piano music)
(Narrator): "Every day, infidels go about their business unhindered. Yes, it's appalling, but all too true. Unmarried people of the opposite sex stand in line together at banks where they earn interest on their savings. Unveiled women play sports and walk dogs. Crosses sit gleaming atop steeples, and church bells ring with impunity. And the beer and wine-- well, we could go on all day.
"Where are the jihadists, you ask, to put a stop to all this? Well, they do what they can, but our resources only go so far. In fact, money is so tight that we can't even afford the equipment needed to destroy the piano playing this somber background music, which is completely haram. (And we could use a Segway or two as well, because the guy playing it looks like he can run really fast.)
"But did you know for only 72 cents a day, you can make a difference in forcing a fearful and joyless existence on the rest of the world? Yes, that's all it takes. And each month, we'll send you the story of a jihadist you're helping (but not a picture-- graven images, you know).
"Please, won't you do your part today to convert, subjugate, or wage war on unbelievers?"
(piano music ends in major key, followed by hurried footsteps and whirring Segways)
Im.mad.as.HELL! said
There are no technical impediments to what you suggest, or any other manner of attacking their funding sources. There is nothing stopping it, other than the inability to admit the identity of the enemy, and the willpower to stop them.
MarisolJW, that is hilarious!
"I would like to suggest to monitor the site were the donations come in over the Internet."
Let me admend that:
Watch it for a week. Then *destroy* it.
While it's good to gather information about terrorist networks, our primary mission is not watching them, it is dismantling and destroying them.
Fortunately, on the Internet only bits & bytes will be hurt in the process :)
How can Abdul and Reza afford to take little Achmed to school and send money to Al-queda when gas is this expensive?
And when you have two groups competing for your donation money you have to compare the two and see which one is more successful and powerful in getting Islam advanced in society: Do they donate to Al-queda or the Democrat Party?
Well, Al-queda says their donations and fund raising is down, so I guess we know where the money is going.
Marisol,
I was thinking more along the lines of Beethoven, String Quartet, Op 131 in C sharp minor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miOkyEFezGc
(yes, same one as feature on HBO miniseries, Band of Brothers, Pt 9: "Why We Fight")
Nice & dreary.
Hey, beats the heck outta by thumb & index finger playing "my heart bleeds..."
lol
;-)
Yeah -- I would like to make a donation to Al Qaeda: a nuclear bomb (special delivery)
Once they receive my contribution, then all of their money woes will go up in smoke.
add 1 W-80
have them stir vigorously
watch the foreworks.