Counterterrorism Blog

An interesing and important story in the Washington Post, which unfortunately did not make the front page, highlights one of the major problems faced with trying to shut down charities that have been known to funnel part of their proceeds to al Qaeda and other Islamic radicals. The story, and my own interviews, make it clear just how difficult it is to shut these organizations down, even after they have been designated by the United States and the United Nations. Because of these difficulties, cutting off the flow of money to terrorist groups is virtually impossible.

This is the case in the earthquake relief efforts in Pakistan, where several nominally-banned groups are openly operating in the relief efforts. While much attention has been focused on Saudi charities, Pakistani charities with close ties to al Qaeda, the Taliban and ongoing war efforts in Afghanistan, continue to operate.

Part of what makes it so difficult is that these groups often provide depserately-needed aid on the ground in crisis situations, and have an existing network of workers and resources to deploy. This is a win-win proposition for these groups: They can show that they can meet people's needs, and at the same time, recruit vulnerable individuals for other purposes and more easily divert resources to armed groups. They can also show how slow and inept the government is in responding to the the crisis, bolstering their own prestige while undercutting the standing of the official agencies. The aid, of course, is not bad and the benefits that accrue to the groups may not be part of an intentional strategy. Nonetheless, it is real and has dangerous long-term implications.

What is striking about the Post story, borne out by interviews with officials who monitor these groups, is how the groups, though banned for several years in some cases, continue to operate unimpeded. Take for example, the al-Rasheed Trust, a stronghold of the Muslim Brotherhood, with close ties to al Qaeda at least in the 1990s. The Treasury Department designated the Trust in 2003 for its alleged ongoing support of al Qaeda and other armed terrorist groups. Al-Rasheed has not even bothered to change its name, in part because senior Pakistani government officials have traditionally sat on the Trust's board of directors, making it virtually untouchable.

Another group, Lashkar-i-Taiba, has at least had to change its name. Now known as Jamaat ul-Dawa, the group has been linked to al Qaeda, "banned" by Pakistani authorities and designated by Treasury. Yet, there it is, going full blast. Go here for full blog.