Prof. dr Darko Trifunović: Finasijska Struktura Islamskih Pokreta The financial structure of the...

7/30/2019 Prof. dr Darko Trifunovi: Finasijska Struktura Islamskih Pokreta The financial structure of the Islamic Movement

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Financial Infrastructure of Islamic Extremists in the BalkansDarko Trifunovic

Financial Infrastructure of Islamic Extremists in the Balkans

Dr Darko Trifunovic, University of Belgrade-Faculty of Security Studies

The international community is facing a major dilemma concerning the ways andmeans of combating Islamic extremists. One impediment is that Islamic terrorists usethe very sensitive issue of religion to propagate their dark ideas. Fact is that nationsthat sponsor terrorism, active terrorist cells and the widespread terrorist network

whose methods and activities we have tried to describe in this studyrepresent aserious threat to the entire humanity. There is no cure for this kind of evil save forinternational cooperation, exchange of information and prevention. One remedialaction could be the multilateral destruction of the Afghan poppy fields, becauseheroin coming from that country represents 78% of the world production, and is themain source of income to Islamic terrorists. Additionally, nations sponsoring terrorismshould face international penalties.

NGOs that have been clearly identified as conduits for terrorism have begun toreappear in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Sometimes they change their names. Some of themost extremists NGOs are the already mentioned Saudi Relief Committee, then

Global Islamic Relief, International Aid Organization, Egyptian National Aid, SaudiIslamic Committee and the Islamic Institute. All of these organizations are known toanti-terrorism experts.

An additional issue is with the orphans taken to Al-Qaedas terrorist camps in Bosnia-Herzegovina. There are videotapeps, testimonies and documentary evidence of this.One example is the case of Ahmed Zuharir, a.k.a. Handala, whose main contacts inB-H are Omer Stambolic of the Federal police and Haris Silajdzic. This terrorist hadthe official ID card of the organization called Charitable Community for Orphans, butwho was he? Zuharir, a Sudanese, is a member of the terrorist group Gaamaa alIslamyya, and a former member of the El Mujahid unit of the Bosnian Army. Hewas convicted in absentia by the B-H Federation authorities for a car bombing inwestern Mostar in September 1997. Other participants in this terrorist attack were AliAhmadom al-Hamadom, a.k.a. Ubayda, of Bahrein; naturalized B-H citizen SalehNegil Ali El-Hil, a.k.a. Abu Yemen; Abdullah baAwr, a.k.a. Husayfa; and Kal-al-Sheif,a.k.a. Suleyman.All are suspected associates of Osama bin Laden. Handala wasnever caught, because the Bosnian Muslim authorities connections to the globalIslamic terror network. So, the Bosnian Muslim authorities headed by the late AlijaIzetbegovic entrusted this notorious terrorist with the care of war orphans. Anotherissue altogether are mujahiddin wives, trained for years in various terrorist camps.

Citizens of Bosnia-Herzegovina need help, because they cannot fight against thispestilence alone. One should be careful to differentiate the extremists from the


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Muslim population in general; one of the extremists goals is to foment conflictbetween all Muslims and modern civilization. This is what the leaders of Al-Qaeda inKosovo are doing. According to expert information, the top extremists in the area are:Ramush Haradinaj, Hashim Taqi, Ilaz Selimi, Ahmed Krasniqi (Haradinajs enemy),Setmir Krasniqi (organized crime) Muxhar Basha, Snu Lumaj, Ismet Bexhet, Remi

Mustafa, Nazmi Bekteshi, Xhimshit Osmani, Ramadan Dermaku, Luzim Aliju iBaylush Rustemi. All are connected to imam Omar Behmen. Their funding comesfrom various sources, but all have in common the Swiss enterprise called Phoenix,owned by Qazim Osmonaj. Another man worth mentioning is Abdullah Duhayman, aSaudi citizen, the founder of the Islamic Balkan Center Zenica, Bosnia. Duhaymanis one of the main contacts and financiers of Ekrem Avdiu of Kosovska Mitrovica, aveteran of the Bosnian war and the founder of UCKs mujahiddin unit Abu BakrSadeq.

If the Turks, who are regarded as secular Muslims, were capable of mounting suicidalterrorist attacks on Turkish shoil, one can only wonder what the Balkans Muslim

extremists are capable of. Europe and the world are wondering who the next targetmight be. New warnings keep coming of impending attacks in Europe and the US,although most terrorist attacks are currently limited to the borderlands. Right now,the most endangered European nation is France, an unwilling host to a strong Islamicmovement driven primarily by the Algerian GIA and its network of North Africanimmigrants. Frances commitment to freedom and tolerance has led it to extendtolerance onto some people who do not deserve it. Unless French authorities takepreventive measures, the risk of attack is great. Even though France opposed thewar on Iraq, many countries that supported the war have property and interests inFrench territory. Certainly, they have property and interests elsewhere but whatother European nation has such a widespread terrorist network?

Italy is in danger as well, as it also has a strong terrorist network, focused in Milan.This is confirmed by the recent arrest of four men who were recruiting Islamicmilitants for Al-Qaeda. Besides, some Italian politicians are supportive of terrorists.Emma Bonino, currently the EU Commissioner for Human Rights, used to be in themanagement of the NGO No Peace Without Justice. This organization declaredBosnian Muslim militant and war criminal Alija Izetbegovi as peacemaker of theyear at one time, and has spread false information about the wars in the formerYugoslavia for years, supporting Islamic fanaticism.

According to the available open and other sources several so called charities andNGOs are still fully operational in the Balkan regarding terror financing or relatedactivities.

Bosnia-Herzegovina

The U.S. Department of Treasury discovered in October 2002 that several charitiesoperating in Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) direct their funds to terrorist activities,specifically noting:

Benevolence International Foundation (BIF) Enaam Arnaut, director of its

successor organization Bosnian Ideal Future, was convicted in the U.S. for directlyaiding Bin Laden;


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Global Relief Foundation (GRF) GRF had modest means in BiH, but still foundaround $100,000 to fund a camp at lake Jablanica where Muslim youth were taughtessentials of Islam. Similar summer camps were organized elsewhere in BiH, oftenwith participants from Active Islamic Youth (AIO) ;

Vezir the Bosnian branch of the Al Haramain Islamic Foundation (AHF)[1].

The Bosnian branch of Taibah International first served as a cover for the GRF.One of its former members, Tunisian Ayadi Chafiq Bin Muhammad, was placed onthe list of persons directly connected with terrorism by the U.S. Department ofTreasury, on October 12, 2001 as did the organization Al-uwaffaq, which he randuring the war, and which was linked to radical Islamic circles in Pakistan. In 1996,Ayadi transferred $500,000 to the Sarajevo SAB bank. He was later arrested inDublin, Ireland on charges of financing Al-Qaeda. Ayadi was given Bosniancitizenship, and had several Bosnian passports.

It was also established that Vakufska and Depozitna banks[2] of Sarajevo aided andabetted the funding of terrorists in BiH. They were established by Yassin Al-Qadi (seehis activities in Albania) and the already mentioned Chafiq Ayadi. These two banksgave assistance to Al-Muwaffaq, Al Haramain Islamic Foundation and the SaudiHigh Commision for Relief.

The Vakufska bank covered up the transfer payments from the Saudi HighCommision for Relief to the private company Engra d.o.o[3], owned by Edin Balta.

At the traditional seminar of Islamic youth at the Begov Han mosque in Sarajevo, inearly September 2005, the World Islamic League (a.k.a. Rabita) of Saudi Arabiaconditioned its donation of significant funding for projects in the Raska region ofSerbia on the ability of the Wahhabi movement to use the religious buildings there. InJanuary and February of 2006 alone, Rabita has directed some 150,000 Euros toprojects in Raska. Money came from accounts in Mecca to Munich, from where it wastransferred to Vienna, arriving to Serbia through a branch of Societe Generale inNovi Pazar.

Regional prosecutors in Sarajevo and Zenica opened investigations in July 2007 intopossible embezzlement charges against the Muslim charity Merhamet, including the

allegations of financial aid to the Wahhabi movement in BiH. Merhamet allegedlyfunded Wahhabi organizations and several individuals.

Kosovo-Metohija

The U.S. Department of State and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) have beenstationed in Kosovo-Metohija since 1999, and have been monitoring the illegalfinancial flows in the province, especially funds used for illegal purchase of arms andequipment for terrorist groups in Kosovo-Metohija.

Money originates from Saudi Arabia, where specific individuals courier gold, coins

and jewelry that are then sold, converted to local currency, and channeled throughpre-determined NGOs.


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American members of KFOR arranged a seminar for the high-ranking officials of theKosovo Police Service in April 2007, covering Wahhabis in Kosovo. During theseminar, American representatives asserted that Wahhabism is on the rise inKosovo, and that in five years Kosovo would become the most significant stronghold

of this Islamic sect in Europe. According to them, the greatest concentration ofWahhabis is around Prizren.

A report published by the provisional authorities of Kosovo-Metohija in January 2007acknowledged the rising presence of Wahhabis and other Islamic factors in theprovince. Organizations connected to funding of Islamic extremism in Kosovo-Metohija are Iranian Relief Committe in Pristina and Taibah InternationalCommittee in Prizren. Western analysts claim that Al-Islamiyya and The WorldAssembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) are fronts for extremists from Saudi Arabia.Additionally, the director of Revival of Islamic Heritage Society in Pristina, OthmanA.O. Alhaidar used to run several charities in Bosnia-Herzegovina, starting with the

Revival of Islamic Heritage Society, General Kuwaiti Aid Committee, 'Dar El-Bir ofUAE, Yhia Al-Turas, and World Islamic Charity. He was investigated bySFOR/EUFOR in 2005 on suspicion of sending volunteers from Kosovo-Metohija andAlbania to Iraq.

Albania

Interest in the presence of radical Islam in Albania and its connection with theauthorities was reawakened on April 11, 2007, with the broadcast of a show FiksFare on state television. The show publicized documents indicating that Abdul LatifSaleh a close associate of Osama Bin Laden, was given Albanian citizenship in 1992at the personal insistence of then-President, now Prime Minister Sali Berisha[4].

Saleh, a Jordanian, owned construction companies Mak Albania and CementAlbania, which were used to launder the money of Saudi businessman Yasin QadisCaravan association in Tirana. In 2000, Saleh was deported from Albania onsuspicion of Al-Qaeda connections, and his bank account in Tirana was frozen afteran attempt to withdraw 2.4 million Euros.

There are also numerous indications that several Islamic charities are abusing theiractivities in Albania to support terrorism. The government investigates allegations

about their work solely because of obligations to the U.S. In April 2006, Albaniasanti-laundering directorate froze 63 bank accounts, valued at around 4 million Euro,used for money-laundering and support for terrorism. Albanias Minister of Interiorissued a special order in July 2006 to put special scrutiny the Albanians studying inthe Middle East and persons of Arab origin that come back to Albania to vacationwith them.

Albanian Minister of Finance Ridvan Bode signed several decrees in July 2006seizing the accounts and assets of many individuals and charities. Among theseizures were the accounts and properties of Yasin Al Qadi[5], Abdul Latif Saleh,Taibah International[6] and Al Haramain[7]. At the same time, the anti-laundering

directorate began investigating Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Nagar, Hamya Abu Rajan, DavidHicks[8], Nabil Abdyl Sayadi, Patricia Rosa Vinck, Global Relief Foundation (one


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account frozen) and Revival of Islamic Heritage Society (four account frozen).

In April 2007, a high court in Tirana overruled the decision to seize the accounts andassets of Albanian International Investment for lack of evidence that it took part infunding terrorism. Emboldened by the decision, Yasin Al-Qadi appealed[9] the

Ministry of Finances decision to seize his assets almost 4 million Euro over thepast five years.

However, investigators at the High Crimes Division (HCD) in Tirana have managed topartially uncover a new system of terrorism funding. Assets in peril of seizure oncharges of aiding terrorism were turned over to administrators who would thenchannel the assets back to the original owner. Al-Qadis administrator in Albaniawas Jordanian Hamzeh Abu Rayyen.

At the request of HCD, a court in Tirana ordered the seizure of Abu Rayyenspassport on April 3, 2007, until an investigation into laundering the proceedings of

criminal activities could be concluded. Many charities close to Islamic terroristorganizations recover from seizures by re-establishing themselves under newmanagement. The new managers are local Albanians who studied theology in theMiddle East. There are currently 80 religious associations and foundations operatingin Albania, with accounts throughout the country in banks such as Arab-AlbanianIslamic Bank, Bank of Malaysia, Fefad Bank, and Dardania Bank.

Five foundations have been outlawed because of proven links with terrorism: AlHaramain, World Islamic Relief Organization, Revival of Islamic Heritage Society,Muwafaq and Al Vaffk.

Conclusion:

It is evidential that Al Qaeda establish in the territory of South East Europe (Balkan)fully operational Financial network and logistic for the operation of FinancialCommittee of Al Qaeda terrorist organization. The Financial Committee has the taskto provide the Networks funding. Fundraising methods differ from place to place, butrely mainly on accounts directly or indirectly available to Osama Bin Laden and thefunds provided through the wide network of humanitarian organizations which usetheir charity as a cover for fundraising and recruitment of future terrorists. This

committee is also in charge of money transfers[10]. One of its methods is thehawala system, where money and other commodities are transferred directly,without the involvement of banks. Such transactions are virtually impossible to trace.Basic funding derives primarily from the production and distribution of narcoticsspecifically heroin, which is produced in Afghanistan, then distributed to WesternEuropean and US markets through a sophisticated network. One Kosovo Albanianwas recently arrested at the Bajakovo border crossing between Croatia and Serbia-Montenegro, in possession of 48 kg of heroin. By and large, Kosovo Albanians arenot Islamic fanatics, but as heroin smugglers, they are an important link in Al-Qaedaschain. Profits from the heroin trade are also very difficult to trace.

Funds thus obtained are put to use in pursuit of Islamic fanatics darkest aims. Al-Qaeda and other organizations act locally, but think globally. For example, the newly


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established Islamic terrorist organization, LIVO, whose striking fist is the UzbekistanIslamic Movement, is pursuing the plan for establishing Islamic states andeventually, the Caliphate in Central Asia, funded and aided by the Financial and theMilitary committees of Al-Qaeda.

Notes:

[1] According to EU reports, many Islamic charities that have been banned stilloperate in BiHincluding Al Hramain, Al Maysed Al Aqsa, and BenevolenceInternational Foundation (BIF). All these organizations were banned in BiH (afterdirect political pressure from the West) but there are indications they remain active.Specifically noted was BIF, which was blacklisted in the U.S.

[2] In August 2002, Federal Banking Agency aproved the merger of Vakufska and

Depozitna banks, owned by Yasin Al-Qadi (44.3%) and Mahmal Investments(44.2%), which has been under investigation by intelligence agencies for years, onsuspicion of funding terrorism.

[3] Between 1998 and 2000, .. was conducting financial transactions onbehalf of an organization linked to Bin-Laden, through accounts with Depozitna andVakufska banks of Sarajevo (Zenica branch).

[4] Abdul Latif Saleh received Albanian citizenship in just over month; he filed arequest on September 17, and received in on October 21, through Decree # 328.

[5] Two accounts of MediCare association, one at the Raiffeisen bank and theother at the National Trade Bank, both in Albanian currency; and two accounts (oneof which was in U.S. dollars) at the National Trade Bank, of Caravan.

[6] Three houses of 200-350 sq. meters each in the town of Bulqiza.

[7] One house of 500 sq. meters in Tirana.

[8] David Hicks was in Albania in 1998-99, took part in the war in Kosovo, wascaptured as a member of Al-Qaeda and detained in Guantanamo Bay.

[9] Both Abdul Latif Saleh and Yasin Al-Qadi were represented in court by IdayetBeqiri, political secretary of the Front of Albanian National Unity (FBKSh).

[10] See the testimony of Matthew Epstein and Evan Kolmann before the HouseCommittee on Financial Services, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation:Progress since September 11, 2001: US achievements in efforts to finance counter-terrorism; funding of Al-Qaeda by Arabian Gulf countries through US-based banks,corporations, and charities; March 11, 2003

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