CAESAREA
Caesarea Think Tank & Research Unit
2017
Terrorism, organised crime financing & fighting back
Terrorism and organised crime financing: Theory, Typology
Terrorism and organised crime costs money. Although the costs of specific terrorist operations may be relatively inexpensive, terrorist and organizations require much larger budgets in order to function. But how do terrorist groups and organised crime acquire funding? What explains the variation in the particular sources used by different groups and organization? This article develops a theory of terrorist and organised crime financing that identifies criteria by which we can gauge the different sources of terrorist and organised crime funding, particularly in terms on how to combat and choke the funding of terrorist and organised crime groups.
Terrorism and organised crime costs money. The money is the oxygen of these organisations.i Without money these groups and organisations could not conduct operations or exist. The variety of sources is impressive, which range from rouge regimes, theft, drugs, people smuggling, the sale of stolen oil, extortion, wealthy individuals using their personal wealth to fund organisations, charities, and the ability to print counterfeit money, these among many other ways are just a few of the ways that terrorist and organised crime groups acquire funds.
The need of financing.
The cost of terrorist operations can be low cost, it was written that a bombing of a café or bus constituted nothing more than store bought materials perhaps costings $150, especially when terrorist commanders did not have to invest in an escape plan for the suicide bomber.ii Terrorist organisations require much larger budges to operate. The leaders and commanders of such organisation are known to earn salaries their wives and children required medical care, food and shelter. These men controlled hundreds of millions of dollars these men become very wealthy men.iii
Groups like Hamas, Hezbollah and the PIJ ran much more than mere faith. Terror is a lucrative skill set and the most talented in the pool required top dollar. Money had to always be set aside with escrow cash to be paid to their families should the soldiers in the organisation be captured or killed. In the case of the suicide bombing campaign against Israel was expensive and required a constant flow of cash. Safe houses need to rented, cars had to be purchased. These buildings were either turned into bomb making factories or weapons caches. ISIS profits from oil sales were estimated at 2.4 billion US dollars in revenue in 2015. iv
Organised crime organisations have been known to do business with terrorist organisations, and rogue regimes/nations, Venezuela had turned into a criminal
State that trafficked in narcotics and carried the drugs and cash in diplomatic pouches and maintained close ties to Iran, Syria and Hezbollah. v
Choking terrorist and organised crime financing
It is well known that many countries security organisations have attempted and stopped the financing of terrorism and organised crime but none have been more effective than the organisation created by Meir Dagan. Dagan set an operational precedent that the United States followed following the September 2011 attacks. In 1996, Dagan was placed in charge of Israel’s Counter-Terrorism Bureau. It was here that he created Harpoon, a financial counterterrorism task force encompassing representatives from the military, the intelligence services, the police, the customs service, and other ministries. In 2002, when Prime Minister Sharon appointed his old friend to serve as the head of the Mossad, Dagan brought Harpoon to Israel’s intelligence service and it became operational. Harpoon’s calling card was “follow the money, target the money, and kill the money.” vi
Much is being done to combat terrorism and the financing behind them, but not enough, what security organisation can employ but have yet to be employed are sadistic thinking and bringing that thinking to operations.vii
New financing method for organised crime and terrorism
For many that don’t know Bitcoin, Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency and worldwide payment system; it is the first decentralized digital currency the system works without a central repository or single administrator.
There are no current cases of terrorism financing through bitcoins but we believe that in the near future this may be a source of moving currency and funding for terrorism and organised crime organisations due to its lack or tractability of were the bitcoin goes this may be the most effective way of moving and financing terror and organised crime funds.viii
Lone wolf attacks and combating them
Recently many countries have endured the Lone wolf attacks on its citizens from shootings; knife attacks and the use of vehicles to run pedestrians down, most of these attacks have been home grown. Intelligence and security agencies have foiled many attacks in recent years.
What else can be done to prevent these attacks apart from the current tactics countries can pass laws that the victims of terrorism and organised crime can now actively sue the individual and organisation and any accomplice’s for compensation, assets and accounts can be seized and sold to compensate victims this tactic has been used and been effective in other countries.ix
Many more measures can be taken to prevent and stop attacks which will not be included in this article.x
i Aluf Meir Dagan former Israel Defence Forces Major General and former Director of the Mossad.
ii Nitsana Darshan-leitner and Samuel M Katz .Harpoon. iii Nitsana Darshan-leitner and Samuel M Katz .Harpoon and Aluf Meir Dagan former Israel Defence Forces Major General and former Director of the Mossad. iv Nitsana Darshan-leitner and Samuel M Katz .Harpoon and Aluf Meir Dagan former Israel Defence Forces Major General and former Director of the Mossad. v Aluf Meir Dagan former Israel Defence Forces Major General and former Director of the Mossad. vi Wikipedia and Aluf Meir Dagan former Israel Defence Forces Major General and former Director of the Mossad.
vii Caesarea
viii Caesarea
ix Caesarea
x Caesarea
Copyright of Caesarea research unit Terrorism, organised crime financing & fighting back and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a list serv without the copyright holder’s express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
All warfare is based primarily on the deception of an enemy. Fighting on a battlefield is the most primitive way of making war. There is no art higher than to destroy your enemy without a fight—by SUBVERTING anything of value in the enemy’s country.
Sun Tzu
Chinese philosopher
China’s Subversion of Australia and the world
We will only release a short version. A detailed version on countering subversion will not be released publicly.
After months of researching how China came to be so influential and powerful in Australia and the world, we have identified one method. China has employed and developed subversion operations. This is a 2000 year old philosophy by Sun Tzu .
China is not the only country to conduct subversion operations. From the 1960s to present date, Russia and the United States have also used these tactics. With advancements in technology it has become easier and more effective to conduct subversion tactics.
There are four main phases, a number of areas and approximate time frames of subversion, also known as ‘active measures’:
1: Demoralization (Demor) 10 – 20 years[1]
2: Destabilization (Destab) 5 – 10 years[2]
3: Crises (Cri) 2 – 5 years[3]
4: Normalization (Norm)[4]
PHASE 1
Demoralization
From the mid-90s to date, China has managed to change Australia’s perception of their country. Despite the evidence, information and history regarding the dangers of China, Australian politicians were unable to come to the conclusion that carelessly dealing with China would not be in Australia’s best interest.
Some areas where china is successfully Demoralized Australia
Education:
Chinese government funding (Hanban based in Beijing) to Australian education centers (universities) has allowed China to explicitly dictate on teaching and facilities of the universities. This has been overlooked by Australia for the past 20 years.
Internal politics:
In the last 20 years China has co-opted Australian politicians through political donations for favors or and manipulation.
Industry and assets:
For decades China has purchased assets from farms, coal mines, airports, ports and water supplies without any intervention from the Australian government.
PHASE 2
Destabilization
Since the 90s, China has slowly but successfully destabilized Australia unbeknownst to the Australian government, through the purchase of the above mentioned assets and the like, offering cheap products, manufacturing and labor to corrupt and influence politicians.
Some areas:
Economy and Jobs:
Through offering cheap labor and manufacturing to Australian industry, China has forced industry to relocate jobs to China. Consequently, Australian jobs are lost. In turn, Australians turn to government welfare payments to survive which has cost the Australian economy millions if not billions.
Politics:
For decades, Australian politicians have received donations from China for political favors and influenced politicians to benefit China and Destabilize Australian politics.
Isolation:
The acceptance of the Australia China Free Trade Agreement in 2014 resulted in the isolation of Australia by:
- Making China Australia’s biggest trade partner (worth approximately $90 billion) which, in most part benefits China.
- Australia has become depended on Chinese manufacturing
- Arguably, if Australia were to attempt to re-establish domestic manufacturing, this would destroy Australia’s economy
PHASE 3
Crises
With decades of Australia’s ambivalence with China and China exploitation, political influence and continued unencumbered purchasing of Australian industry and land we are at a crisis stage. China knows that Australia is stuck with them unless extreme measures are taken.
Cyber theft
In the last 10 years we have seen China’s effectiveness in hacking and theft of technologies, designs and information, which can and has been used to further their own industries and influence in Australia and the world. The Australian government has responded with only talk and no action.
PHASE 4
Normalization
Prior to 2017, the Australian government has allowed China to politically interfere in Australian politics, education, and circumvent Australian laws, among other things. In recent years, along with the Covid19 virus, the Australian government has awaken to the past indiscretions and started to mitigate the damage by China’s subversion of Australia. Predictably, Australian politicians have lost the drive to keep going. China’s subversion of Australia and the world is now seen as normal by most.
[1] Yuri Bezmenov
[1] Yuri Bezmenov
[1] Yuri Bezmenov
[1] Yuri Bezmenov
Copyright of Caesarea research unit China’s Subversion of Australia and the world and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a list serv without the copyright holder’s express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.