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About Contact Us CT Blog Experts in the Media CT Library Counterterrorism Foundation Websites & Centers RSS & PDA Feeds Monthly Archives Mumbai Attack Posts Counterterrorism Blog Panels: The 2008 Mumbai Attacks, Dec. 4 Jihadists' Revolt Against Al Qaeda, Sept. 23 Future of Turkey-U.S. Strategic Partnership, May 19 Iran & U.S.: Outlook for Next Decade? April 15 Compañeros de Armas ("Friends in Arms"): Chavez, FARC & South America, March 19 Meta-Terror: Terrorism & the Virtual World, Feb. 29 Evolution of US Counterterrorism Policy, Feb. 12 Terrorism Litigation After Boim Decision, Jan. 28 Holy Land Foundation & Muslim Brotherhood, Dec. 11 ------------ July 2008 Posts and August 2008 Posts Contributing Experts
Steven Emerson & The Investigative Project on Terrorism
Dennis Lormel Douglas Farah, Site Editor Bill West Evan Kohlmann Michael Cutler Victor Comras Michael Kraft Dr. Zachary Abuza Dr. Walid Phares Daveed Gartenstein-Ross Olivier Guitta Kenneth Conboy Aaron Mannes David Schenker Jeffrey Imm Animesh Roul Matthew Levitt Jonathan Winer Michael Jacobson Frank Hyland Roderick Jones Paul Cruickshank Farhana Ali Lorenzo Vidino Madeleine Gruen James McGinnis James Gordon Meek, Guest Expert Andrew Cochran, VP of GAGE Founder & Site Editor Phillip Smyth & Brett Wallace, Asst. Newslinks Editors EXPERTS' ARCHIVES & BIOS Recent Posts
Modeling Terrorist Group Behavior: Hamas & Hezbollah
Iran-Venezuela Games Continuing Strategic Ripples of Mumbai Attacks NEFA Foundation: Zawahiri Issues Orders to “Strike Everywhere” in Revenge For Gaza The Role of the Muslim Brotherhood With Hamas and Iran Israel Attacked from the North NEFA TerrorWatch Episode #9 Now Available Tackling The Terrorist Threat: Progress Made and Future Challenges Targeting Terrorists' Financial Networks: A Moving Target Strategic Reading in the Gaza Conflict (Part 2): An Eight Points Assessment Experts' Books
Walid Phares: The Confrontation and "The War of Ideas: Jihadism against Democracy" and “Future Jihad: Terrorist Strategies Against America”
Michael Kraft & Yonah Alexander (Editors): "Evolution of U.S. Counterterrorism Policy" Douglas Farah & Zachary Abuza in Countering the Financing of Terrorism Douglas Farah: "Merchant of Death" and "Blood From Stones: The Secret Financial Network of Terror" Michael Jacobson: "The West at War: U.S. and European Counterterrorism Efforts, Post–September 11" Daveed Gartenstein-Ross: "My Year Inside Radical Islam: A Memoir" Steven Emerson: "Jihad Incorporated: A Guide to Militant Islam in the US" and "American Jihad: The Terrorists Living Among Us" Victor Comras & Matthew Levitt (contributors): "Terrorism Financing and State Responses," Stanford University Press Matthew Levitt: "Negotiating Under Fire: Preserving Peace Talks in the Face of Terror Attacks" and "Hamas: Politics, Charity, and Terrorism in the Service of Jihad" and "Targeting Terror: U.S. Policy toward Middle Eastern State Sponsors and Terrorist Organizations, Post-September 11" Zachary Abuza: "Political Islam and Violence in Indonesia" and "Militant Islam in Southeast Asia: Crucible of Terror" Lorenzo Vidino "Al Qaeda in Europe: The New Battleground of Global Jihad" Kenneth Conboy: "The Second Front: Inside Asia’s Most Dangerous Terrorist Network" Evan Kohlmann: "Al-Qaida's Jihad in Europe: The Afghan-Bosnian Network" Credits
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Matthew Levitt Archives
Chilling EffectBy Matthew LevittScholars beware: A wave of libel lawsuits threatens to stifle open and honest discussion of issues related to the financing of terrorism. Instead of competing on the battlefield of ideas, where facts speak louder than rhetoric, several individuals and organizations... Could Hamas Target the West?By Matthew LevittThe Holy Land Foundation case has refocused attention on the presence and activities of Hamas in the United States. That activity has focused on raising funds and engaging in propaganda activities, but are there any conditions under which Hamas could... The Reemergence of Hizballah in TurkeyBy Matthew LevittWith secularism, PKK terrorism, and other Turkish issues becoming international concerns in recent months, a dangerous Islamist trend has been overlooked: radical groups inspired more by the revolutionary ideology of Iran than domestic issues such as Kurdish nationalism are staking... Six Years after September 11: A 9-11 Commission Progress ReportBy Matthew LevittSix years after September 11, terrorist attacks still threaten Americans. Although Washington has carried out major reforms to improve its counterterrorism measures, Mike Hurley arges there is a critical lack of urgency on several fronts. And while the United States... Yassin al-Qadi: the Hamas ConnectionBy Matthew LevittMy colleagues Doug Farah and Victor Comras have posted excellent analyses of Yassin al-Qadi on these pages. To further flesh out Qadi's financing activities here in the United States, consider some of the material that came out of the federal... Better Late than Never: Keeping USAID Funds out of Terrorist HandsBy Matthew LevittForeign aid is an important and effective tool for buttressing allies, alleviating poverty and suffering, supporting key foreign policy objectives, and promoting the image and ideals of the United States abroad. Indeed, as its own website attests, the U.S. Agency... Designating the IRGCBy Matthew LevittThe U.S. government is preparing to designate the IRGC, either as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) or under the authority of Executive Order 13224. This designation is intended in part to counteract the group’s growing involvement in a range of... Undercutting a Culture of Militancy: Designating Hamas CharitiesBy Matthew LevittYesterday, the U.S. Treasury Department designated as a terrorist organization one of the largest Hamas charities in Gaza, the al-Salah Society, along with its director, Ahmed al-Kurd, a well-known Hamas activist. The organization was outlawed by Israel in 2002 and... Designated Hamas Charity Listed at 1993 Phili MeetingBy Matthew LevittThe Treasury designated a key Hamas charity and its director today, adding the al-Salah Society and Ahmed al-Kurd to OFAC's SDGT list. According to new information released by the Treasury Department, "The Al-Salah Society supported Hamas-affiliated combatants during the first... Hamas and Islamic Jihad ClashBy Matthew LevittAccording to press reports, the day after a Hamas militant was killed by a member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), Hamas responded by killing two militants (one from Islamic Jihad and another from Fatah) and wounding three Islamic Jihad militants.... Dangerous Partners: Targeting the Iran-Hizballah AllianceBy Matthew LevittJuly 18 marked the thirteenth anniversary of Argentina's deadliest terrorist attack: a 1994 car bombing carried out by Hizballah at Iran's behest. The attack targeted the Asociacion Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA), a Jewish community organization, killing 85 and wounding more... Hamas's Hidden EconomyBy Matthew LevittMilitary insurrections cost money. To take over the Gaza Strip last month, Hamas had to pay salaries, procure weapons, manufacture rockets, buy help from local crime families, bribe opponents, print leaflets and banners, produce media propaganda and even order up... Make Iran Feel the PainBy Matthew LevittThe international community, led by the U.S. and the U.K., is now developing and debating new economic sanctions against Iran. This third round will be pivotal -- either by significantly increasing the cost to Iran of continuing to engage in... Gaza: The Next Terrorist Safe Haven?By Matthew LevittCould Hamas members in the Gaza Strip join ranks with the global jihadist movement led by al-Qaeda? There is merit to this question, given the recent Hamas takeover of the territory and al-Qaeda's call for Muslims around the world to... The War of Words between Hamas and al-QaedaBy Matthew LevittOn June 14, Hamas evicted Fatah security forces from the Gaza Strip, establishing full control over the territory. Eleven days later, al-Qaeda second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahiri issued a statement calling on Muslims to support Hamas fighters -- the latest in an... U.S. Efforts against Terrorism Financing: A View from the Private SectorBy Matthew LevittOn June 15, 2007, Robert Werner addressed The Washington Institute's Policy Forum seminar series. Managing director of Merrill Lynch's Monetary and Financial Control Group since December 2006, he previously served as director of the Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network... Banning Hizbollah in Europe (prepared statement)By Matthew LevittI submitted written testimony for today's hearing before the Europe Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. My colleague Michael Jacobson testified at the hearing. Introduction Pressing our European allies to add Hezbollah to the European Union (EU)'s terrorism list... Palestine's Party of GodBy Matthew LevittAs the world watches the Hamas coup in Gaza unfold, it is worth considering that Hamas's emulation of the Hezbollah was not unexpected. Consider the following, from the concluding section of my book HAMAS: Politics, Charity and Terrorism in the... Global Anti-Terrorism Financing Group Challenged by Syria's ApplicationBy Matthew LevittThis week, the Egmont Group -- an international body of more than 100 national financial intelligence units (FIUs) -- is holding its annual plenary session and working group meetings in Bermuda. One of the issues on the agenda is whether... How Nicolas Sarkozy could destroy HezbollahBy Matthew LevittIn today's The New Republic Online, Mike Jacobson and I argue that French President Nicolas Sarkozy is uniquely positioned to lead the way forward toward a European Union designation of Hezbollah as a terrorist group. Here's why: The United States... The Role of Finance in Combating National Security ThreatsBy Matthew LevittLast night, Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Robert M. Kimmitt addressed the Washington Institute for Near East Policy at its annual Soref Symposium where he spoke on the role of finance in combatting national security threats. The full text of... Financial Measures Targeting IranBy Matthew LevittA couple of weeks ago I spent a few days in Brussels discussing the strategy of applying targeted financial measures against Iran. I debated a senior EU official on the matter (where there was much more agreement than debate) and... Breaking the Terror Finance CodeBy Matthew LevittAmong the many tools available to the US government and our international partners to combat terror financing, leveraging financial intelligence is often overlooked by the public and the press. Buried deep in the U.S. State Department's 335-page report on terrorism... Brazilian Counterterrorism EffortsBy Matthew LevittIn March, Brazilian authorities drafted a new antiterrorism law instituting stiff penalties for a variety of violent acts committed by both individuals and organizations. The new legislation, expected to pass Brazil's congress in a modified form, will likely be used... Arab States' Efforts to Combat Terrorism FinancingBy Matthew LevittOn April 1-5, the seventeen Arab members of the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENA FATF) met in Jordan to discuss terrorism financing and money laundering in the region. Although the task force's record to date... Iran's Financial Intelligence Unit: Less than Meets the EyeBy Matthew LevittMichael Jacobson writes an interesting piece today about the status of FIUs in Iran and the greater Middle East: An Iranian Financial Intelligence Unit: Less than Meets the Eye By Michael Jacobson April 2, 2007 The State Department's International Narcotics... Michael Jacobson in the Baltimore Sun: Keep terror-fighting tools, but explain them betterBy Matthew LevittMichael Jacobson's latest op-ed about the FBI's counterterror tools and the Patriot Act appeared in today's Baltimore Sun. From the Baltimore Sun Keep terror-fighting tools, but explain them better By Michael Jacobson March 30, 2007 In response to recent revelations... Combating Terrorist Financing in Europe: Gradual ProgressBy Matthew LevittMichael Jacobson joined the Washington Institute last week from the U.S. Department of Treasury, where he served as senior advisor in the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. Jacobson was previously a counsel for the 9/11 Commission and the 9/11... Pulling Tehran's Purse StingsBy Matthew LevittHow can the United States and the international community raise the costs for Iran's continued defiance of the international community over suspension of its uranium enrichment program? What levers are likely to feed on domestic discontent and induce the regime... BDA's Blind Eye and Deceptive PracticesBy Matthew LevittJust a couple of days ago the International Herald Tribune (IHT) reported that Macanese authorities had joined managers of Banco Delta Asia (BDA) in an effort to convince U.S. Treasury officials not to finalize its rule against BDA under... Russia's Hamas ProblemBy Matthew LevittIn an article that came out today in the Weekly Standard I highlight Moscow's strange relationship with Hamas. Russia has banned the Muslim Brotherhood, but not Hamas -- though Hamas openly identifies itself as the Palestinian wing of the Brotherhood.... US-Designated Hamas Front Gets Symbolic Win in FranceBy Matthew LevittThis week a French court ordered the Wiesenthal Center’s Director for International Relations in Paris, Dr. Shimon Samuel, to pay a symbolic one Euro fine in a defamation suit brought by a U.S.-designated Hamas front organization. The Comité de Bienfaisance... Follow the Money: Challenges and Opportunities in the Campaign to Combat Terrorism FinancingBy Matthew LevittThe U.S. government's much-discussed but little-understood effort to combat terrorism financing faces both challenges and opportunities. Terrorist groups continue to evolve, proactively working to evade existing sanctions and minimize the impact of future ones. Meanwhile, interagency efforts are being called... Jim Freis Named FinCEN DirectorBy Matthew LevittToday, Jim Freis was named Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the U.S. Treasury Department bureau in charge of gathering and analyzing information about financial transactions to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. Jim currently serves as the... Cairo Can and Should Seize Hamas FundsBy Matthew LevittOver the past year Hamas leaders have smuggled cash into Gaza across the Egyptian border on several occasions in an attempt to circumvent the existing sanctions barring financial transactions with Hamas or the Hamas led Palestinian government. * In May... Shutting Hezbollah's "Construction Jihad"By Matthew LevittOn February 20, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Jihad al-Bina, Hizballah’s construction company in Lebanon, effectively shutting the terrorist group’s firm out of the international financial system. While the designation will not take effect at the United Nations—sanctions... How to Sanction Iran: Target the IRGCBy Matthew LevittThe most robust and effective non-military tool available to the international community in its effort to deal with Iran is to apply Resolution 1737 in full – targeting the IRGC. As I argue in an OpEd published in today’s Washington... Time for Real TF “Arrests” in Saudi ArabiaBy Matthew LevittThe short-lived excitement over recent reports that Saudi officials arrested 10 individuals said to be involved in financing terrorism outside the Kingdom quickly dissipated when the defendant’s lawyers identified them as political dissidents and human rights groups questioned the arrests.... New Study on Terrorism in North AfricaBy Matthew LevittIn August 2006, al-Qaeda's second-in-command announced a new alliance with the Algeria-based Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), with the stated aim of becoming a "thorn in the neck" of America and the West. This radical network -- which... Acquitals in Hamas TrialBy Matthew LevittAfter 14 days of deliberation, a Chicago jury acquited Mohamed Salah and Abdelhalim Ashqar of charges they were involved in a racketeering conspiracy by financing and supporting Hamas terrorism. The two were accused of laundering funds and providing recruits for... DEBUNKING THE PARADIGM OF INEXPENSIVE TERRORISMBy Matthew LevittAn increasingly accepted argument holds that terrorism has become a cheap enterprise. Louise Richardson, executive dean of the Radcliff Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University, made just that case while testifying before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and... Hamas HQ Office in Saudi ArabiaBy Matthew LevittIsraeli authorities announced today the arrest of an Israeli-Arab Hamas activist who played central militant, political and financing roles for the group in coordination with a "Hamas command in Saudi Arabia." Until he was arrested last month, Yakub Muhamad Yakub... Hamas KidnappingBy Matthew LevittIsraeli security forces announced today that a West Bank Hamas cell abducted and killed an Israeli businessman from the northern Jerusalem neighborhood of Pisgat Ze'ev. After several days of searching, Sasson Nuriel's body was found this morning in an industrial... Saudis Soliciting Funds for Jihad, Cont'dBy Matthew LevittAndy's blog earlier today presents very disturbing evidence that despite some positive measures Saudi officials still have far to go when it comes to controlling the funding and promotion of radical Islamic extremism within the Kingdom. But speaking at the... Latest Evidence Hizballah Funds Palestinian TerroristsBy Matthew LevittIn the first half of 2004 Israeli intelligence reported that Hizballah's fingerprint was present on 80 percent of terrorist attacks emanating from the West Bank. By then a series of arrested Fatah operatives conceded that Hizballah was funding nearly all... To Defeat Hamas' Terror, Compete with Hamas' CharityBy Matthew LevittNow that Israel has disengaged from the Gaza Strip and four settlements from the northern West Bank, the international community has a clear interest in doing all it can to see that the post-withdrawal security situation remains stable so that... Netherlands: no distinction between Hezbollah political and terror branchesBy Matthew LevittThe Netherlands just issued the English version of its 2004 annual report on intelligence, a copy of which may be found here. Note what the report has to say about Hezbollah: "Investigations have shown that Hezbollahs terrorist wing, the Hezbollah... Levitt in WSJ Europe: No Excuse for TerrorBy Matthew LevittAccording to British diplomats, Britain is actively pressing the United Nations to adopt a "no excuses" definition of terrorism and an explicit and unconditional condemnation of all acts of terror. The push for such a definition was given new impetus... THE NEW LEBANON: DEMOCRATIC REFORM AND STATE SPONSORSHIPBy Matthew LevittThe appointment of a Hizballah member as a minister in the new cabinet raises anew the question of Lebanon's actions regarding terrorism. Lebanese voters can now elect anyone they wish, and the government can fill its cabinet as it sees... PIJ Suicide Bomber Targets Mall, and "Tahdiya"By Matthew LevittOn the evening of Tuesday, July 12, a suicide bomber blew himself up at the main entrance to the Hasharon Mall in Netanya, killing three women and wounding twenty four others. Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack. The... Outgoing Lebanese PM Wounded in BombingBy Matthew LevittDriving through a Christian neighborhood in north Beirut, outgoing Lebanese Prime Minister (and Defense Minister) Elias Murr was wounded in a bombing that targeted his convoy killing at least 2 and wounding 12. Murr, a pro-Syrian politician in his own... Terror in London, Echoes of Madrid?By Matthew LevittJust one day after London won its bit to host the 2012 Olympic Games, and the morning that world leaders gathered to begin the G-8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, terrorist attacks targeting both the Underground train system and a... Treasury Designates Senior Syrian OfficialsBy Matthew LevittThe U.S. Treasury Department designated two senior Syrian officials "Specially Designated Nationals" (SDN) today under Executive Order 13338 for directing Syria's military and security presence in Lebanon and/or contributing to Syria's support for terrorism. The designations of Ghazi Kanaan, the... Hezbollah drug ring broken up in EcuadorBy Matthew LevittOne June 21, 2005 Ecuadorian police announced their success in breaking up an international drug trafficking ring led by a Lebanese restaurant owner, Rady Zaiter, residing in Quito, Ecuador. According to the police report, evidence confirms the relationship between... Theology of "Economic Jihad" Continues to Drive Fundraising for TerrorBy Matthew LevittOn 4 May 2005, the US Department of the Treasury designated its 400th terrorist or terror financier. Such blocking measures are effective counter-terrorism tools, freezing funds and shutting key nodes in the matrix of terror financing. For example, they force... Treasury Designates PIJ CharityBy Matthew LevittTreasury Designates PIJ Charity The U.S. Department of the Treasury designated the Elehssan Society as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity yesterday, revealing that the society served as a charitable front for Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). "Elehssan masquerades as a... Abu Faraj al-Libbi CapturedBy Matthew LevittToday, Pakistani authorities announced the capture of the third-ranking leader of al-Qaeda, a native Libyan named Abu Faraj al-Libbi (alias Dr. Taufeeq). Al-Libbi, along with five other foreign al-Qaeda operatives, was captured following a shootout in the village of Fatami... Hiyari Designation Highlights Zarqawi's Jordanian Support NetworkBy Matthew LevittToday's designation of Bilal Hiyari as a terror financier supporting Abu Musab al Zarqawi should not surprise. Hiyari's activities have long been known, as have Zarqawi's operational and logistical activities in his home country, Jordan. For a detailed analysis of... Palestinian Terrorists Going Political?By Matthew LevittOn March 28, Hamas formally announced they would join the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The next day, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) members attended the PLOs executive committee meeting in a move that could lead to their eventual entering the organization.... Annan Proposes International Definition of TerrorismBy Matthew LevittAn indispensable part of UN secretary-general Kofi Annans recent report In Larger Freedom, which outlines much needed recommendations for the structure of the United Nations, was the call for an international definition of terrorism that encompasses all attacks on civilians.... "Constructive Instability" in Lebanon and SyriaBy Matthew LevittThe Bush Administrations policy of constructive instability in the Middle East is facing a critical juncture in Lebanon. Taking advantage of a rare confluence of events and international interests, President George W. Bush has focused U.S. efforts on one plank... EU brands Hizballah "terrorist" groupBy Matthew LevittThe European Union Parliament passed a resolution today branding Hizballah as a terrorist group and affirming that the EU Council should take all necessary steps to curtail terrorist activities undertaken by Hizballah. While a step short of adding the group... PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY MINISTER OF ECONOMY TIED TO HAMAS?By Matthew LevittOn February 24, 2005, the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) approved the new cabinet proposed by Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei. Often described as technocratic and progressive, the cabinet is widely seen as fitting the Bush administration's requirement of being "untainted by... Terror from TehranBy Matthew LevittU.S. intelligence chiefs appearing before Congress last week in their annual statements on the state of the threat reiterated, as they have for many years, that Iran is the foremost state sponsor of terror. Indeed, the threat posed by Iranian-sponsored... Touching the Hezbollah NerveBy Matthew LevittLast week I wrote a Policywatch for The Washington Institute calling for the EU to ban Hezbollah (see Policywatch #958, Ban Hizballah in Europe). In response, Jihad al-Khazen, a senior editor and author of an opinion column with the Arabic... COUNTERTERRORISM AND THE BUSH-EU MEETINGBy Matthew LevittPresident Bush will visit Brussels next week and meet with leaders of the European Union (EU). While the Iranian nuclear program and the war in Iraq will undoubtedly be the top items on the agenda, counterterrorism is also certain to... Testimony: Iranian State Sponsorship of TerrorBy Matthew LevittCIA officials regularly describe Iran as the foremost state sponsor of terror. President Bush reaffirmed this assessment in his recent State of the Union address, saying, "Today, Iran remains the world's primary state sponsor of terror. And earlier this month,... Ban Hezbollah in EuropeBy Matthew LevittThe recent assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri in a massive car bombing in downtown Beirut highlights the need for increased attention to terrorism in Lebanon. Today, European Union (EU) officials have a perfect opportunity to do so... PA Unfreezes Hamas FundsBy Matthew LevittUndersecretary of the Treasury Stuart Levey, who heads Treasury's Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, is in the Middle East pressing for enhanced efforts to stem terrorist financing. Despite his recent meetings with Palestinian officials on the need to limit... PA Warns of Hezbollah ThreatsBy Matthew LevittWhile U.S. and Israeli authorities have been warning of Hezbollah's increasing support for Palestinian terrorist groups for some time, the issue is suddenly getting serious attention because the Palestinians now concur. "We know that Hizballah has been trying to recruit... |