Growing links Between Terrorism and Organized Crime?

By Douglas Farah

It seems that the cross-pollination among terrorist organizations and between terrorist groups and organized criminal groups is accelerating. The types of alliance vary from case to case, and, in most cases, are temporary alliances of convenience rather than more formal integrations. However, the frequency of even these temporary connections is giving al Qaeda and its affiliated groups--most notably Zarqawi's group--a significant boost and amplifying their reach.

A few things some in the intelligence community and some observant journalists have recently noted in this vein: Hezbollah-style explosives are being used in Iraq by Zarqawi's group, bringing new sophistication and lethality to many of the operations; cars stolen in the United States are turning up as vehicles used in suicide attacks in Iraq, shipped from the West Coast to Syria, then driven into Iraq; possible ties, now the subject of several investigations in Europe, of important leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, through leading European banks, to laundering large sums of drug money for radical Islamic groups. Much of this appears to be coordinated through activities in the tri-border area of Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, as well as Panama and Isla Margarita off the Venezuelan coast.

The evolution of these ties is natural, but often misunderstood by elements of the intelligence community who cling to the notion that Islamic terrorists seldom breach the Sunni-Shi'ite divide and don't work with secular organizations because they are non-believers. The truth seems to be that in the vast majority of the cases, the criminal organizations have no religious or poliitcal objectives. They just want to make money. Islamic radicals want and need certain specific things from people with certain commodities or skills, and are willing to deal with virtually anyone who has what they need. In the don't-ask-don't-tell world of criminal and terrorist activities, these marriages of convenience are easy and non-threatening to the integrity of each group.

In the case of Sunnis and Shi'ites, it seems increasingly clear that strong and sometimes lethal differences exist on the ground among some of the different groups in Iraq. This is evident in some of the clashes in Iraq, where Shi'ites have been targetted. But is seems equally clear that, on a leadership level there is an understanding that the groups, along with some Baathists in Syria, have a common enemy and must make common cause, which they do. Hence the role of Iran in protecting senior al Qaeda leaders and helping train Zarqawi's people in Hezbollah-pioneered techniques.

The one group whose leadership has a long and little-known history of involvement with all three elements in this volitle mixture is the Muslim Brotherhood. To continue reading, go here.

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