Highlights
– Authorities discover upwards of four tons of hashish aboard a Pakistan-registered fishing dhow in northern Gulf
– Authorities confirm drugs were purchased to fund terrorism
– Command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 152 handed over to Bahrain
– New command of CTF 152 will be significant addition to war on terror, however drug smuggling will likely continue to fund terrorism
In the aftermath of 2001, terrorists have had to adapt to increasingly sophisticated methods of raising funds. However, these gains have been short-lived as the skills and talents of coalition forces operating in the Gulf have likewise increased, thus posing a serious risk to maritime terrorist activity. One such incident occurred on March 4, 2008, when US forces transitioned the command of the Combined Task Force (CFT) 152 to Bahrain for a period of three months following a highly successful anti-terror operation in the Persian Gulf. The multi-national CTF includes 20 countries and is tasked with fighting crime at sea in the southern and central Gulf. Its activities include anti-piracy operations, securing maritime traffic, and counter-terrorist operations.
The handover followed Bahrain’s lead in recovering upwards of four tons of hashish from a Pakistan-registered fishing sailboat in the northern Gulf last month. Within 24 hours of the bust, a fishing vessel carrying more than 10,000 bottles of alcohol was also intercepted. According to Fifth Fleet Commander, Vice Admiral Kevin Cosgriff, the drugs recovered had been purchased with the intention of financing terrorism. Although it was the largest drug bust since 2005, last month’s operation reveals that terrorists continue to smuggle drugs and alcohol to fund terror. As a result, new leadership of the CTF 152 will engage in more intense maritime patrols and will likely result in the recovery of more illegal drugs in the Gulf in the near to mid-term.
Terrorism Fundraising in the Gulf
In recent years, drug smuggling has become a primary means of funding terrorism in the Gulf region. Despite the largest drug bust in the region since 2005, criminal gangs and terrorist groups continue to collaborate in mutually beneficial drug deals in the region. With an estimated value of US$65 million, the 4.3 tons of hashish was enough to purchase a large cache of weapons, explosives, and other materials had it not been intercepted by the authorities.
Selling drugs, however, is not the only means for fundraising terrorism operations. Terrorists engage in money laundering operations and other crimes in order to raise funds. Specifically, in recent months, a number of operations involving underground money transfers have increased, indicating this too may be a preferred method of raising funds.
Bahrain Takes the Lead
The successful interception of last month’s drug smuggling operation assisted in Bahrain attaining leadership command of the CTF 152. The CTF 152 works with the Gulf Cooperation Council nations and complements their security efforts. Maritime cooperation between Gulf countries and Western nations has become a priority in recent years. As an ally of the US in the Global War on Terror and as the headquarters of the Fifth Fleet, Bahrain is likely to make significant headway in the fight against maritime terrorism in the Gulf.
Terrorists will undoubtedly seek to continue engaging in fundraising actives in order to raise money for terrorist operations, however, the strengthening of cohesive efforts of security and coalition forces in the Gulf may be successful in effectively disrupting terrorist operations in the mid to long-term.
