Counter Terrorism Blog

Introduction It is no secret that the type and number of terrorist organizations and related threats have evolved over time but the sine qua non of terrorism remains the same; to raise, move and distribute funds as surreptitiously as possible. Nevertheless, as the nature, structure and scope of terrorist organizations have changed, so –too- have their methods to acquire and manage funds. The resourcing needs of a terrorist organization vary greatly, depending on the nature of the organization itself, its operational continuum and the particular circumstances. Financing is necessary not just to fund specific terrorist operations; a considerable infrastructure is also required to sustain transnational terrorist networks and to promote their objectives over time. Terrorists have proved to be infinitely flexible, adaptive and creative regarding their fundraising methods. Disrupting the financial flow of terrorist organizations is instrumental in constraining the overall capabilities

Introduction The basic premise of counter terrorism and guide to success is to kill or apprehend as many terrorists as possible, without creating more. Although, admittedly, the concept is quite straightforward, in a liberal democracy this requires the guarantee of efficiency and/or security and a certain level of public acceptance/approval. Generally speaking, when developing a counter terrorism strategy, different policy aims should be prioritized –depending on the contextual determinants- at different times. Increasing political pressure may occasionally lead to spasmodic decisions, so it is vital to take sufficient time to create a comprehensive action plan, that ensures not only accountability and efficacy but also achieves security and sociopolitical balance. Short term gains, however, should never adumbrate long-term goals. Subsequently, a course of action must be strategically chosen for the realization of both proximate and ultimate goals (Holmes, 2007). In order to cra