As the article suggests, criminal organizations in Canada , acting as the financial broker of various unnamed terrorist organizations throughout the world, have become increasingly adept at elaborate credit/debit card fraud schemes. The Canadian government has historically downplayed notions of terrorist cells and/or terrorist financing enterprises operating within its borders. However, the recent election of conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper has refocused domestic attention upon the issue, generating a reinvigorated relationship with the Bush administration.
In recent weeks, the Canadian government has authorized the continued deployment of Canadian troops in Afghanistan as part of the NATO peacekeeping force; designated the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) as a terrorist organization, thereby making it illegal for Canadians to support?financially or otherwise?the Tigers ; increased domestic security spending; and recognized the existence of Canadian citizens as al-Qaeda -trained operatives. Additionally, Inspector Joan McCallum of Alberta’s Integrated Response to Organized Crime unit, has publicly acknowledge the existence of sophisticated credit/debit card frauds occurring throughout the country, with proceeds being used to finance various terrorist organizations throughout the world.
Funding is essential to support terrorist operations, as all activities, including recruitment and training, procurement, infrastructure, operations, personal expenses, and social and community activities require substantial funding. Most groups and particularly small, independent cells routinely resort to criminal activities to garner appropriate financing. a number of terrorist organizations have used credit/debit card fraud to finance operations, with such illicit activity a relatively minor yet profitable means of securing financial independence from donor states.
In 2004 France’s top anti-terrorism judge Jean-Louis Bruguiere revealed that Islamic extremists were funding activities through ATM and credit card fraud. Al-Qaeda’s operations in Europe were largely funded through various criminal enterprises, including credit/debit card fraud. Such operations were conducted largely under the direction and management of Osama bin Laden’s brother-in-law Muhammed Galeb Kalaje Zouaydi. Using a variety of front companies to launder proceeds, Zouaydi laundered several million dollars through these companies. Criminal activities orchestrated under the leadership of Zouaydi also funded considerable portions of the 9/11 attacks .
Various groups operating in Latin America’s Tri-Border Region, to include Hamas , Hizballah , and al-Qaeda, operate elaborate criminal enterprises. Credit card scams are prevalent throughout the area and provide considerable funding for these various groups (see the May 17, 2006 WAR Report, March 29, 2006 WAR Report for a thorough analyses of criminal/terrorist operations in Latin America).
Considering the relatively minor budgets of small, autonomous terrorist cells, acting independently of the larger body, financial scams can provide the bulk of funding needed to engage in terrorist attacks throughout the world. Revelations describing the use of these enterprises in Canada is more disconcerting and worrisome due to the simultaneous pronouncement by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service that Canadian citizens or residents received terror training in al-Qaeda-operated training camps. Although purely hypothetical, evidence suggests that al-Qaeda financing is occurring within Canada, perhaps in support of a local-autonomous terrorist cell. Criminal activities to raise capital may be indicative that terrorists may be plotting attacks, although it is not necessarily indicative of specific targeting. While this theory is speculative, al-Qaeda has sought the successful completion of failed attacks and may use Canada as an entry poin as Ahmed Ressam attempted to do with Millennium attack attempt .
