The International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR) organised a webinar titled “Crime-Terror Nexus in the Digital Age” on July 3 2024. The webinar comprised a presentation by Mr David Winston, a former Senior Research Fellow at the Asia-Pacific Foundation, followed by a Q&A. In his presentation, Mr Winston discussed the evolving relationship between criminal and terrorist organisations, drawing from a few case studies and the impact of technological advancements on these dynamics.
Mr Winston outlined the concept of “crime-terror symbiosis”, explaining how increased terrorist activities lead to insecurity, which in turn foster criminal activities like drug and weapons smuggling, creating a vicious cycle. He noted three ways in which cooperation between criminal and terrorist entities occurs:
- Terrorist Muscle: Terrorist operatives protect criminal enterprises in exchange for a share of the profits. An example is the Sam Gor network, which collaborates with rebel groups in Myanmar to protect drug production facilities.
- Exchange of Illicit Goods: Terrorist and criminal groups trade items such as drugs, money, forged IDs, and antiquities. A notable instance was the Italian mafia trading weapons with IS-Libya for ancient artefacts.
- Taxation on Illicit Activities: Terrorist groups extort criminal operations in territories they control. The Haqqani network’s taxation of gem miners along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border exemplifies this practice.
Mr Winston also discussed the rise of crime-terror hybrid organisations with dual goals of profit and ideological advancement, such as the D-Company and the Haqqani network. These groups engage in legal and illegal activities and use the funds for terrorist activities. The presentation also covered the continuous use of cryptocurrencies and the darknet by terrorist organisations to secure untraceable funding.
The presentation also covered some ways to combat terrorism financing. Despite regulations like “know your customer” (KYC) verification, which has been part of a major step taken by the Bitcoin community since 2015, cryptocurrencies remain attractive due to their perceived anonymity. Mr Winston emphasised the need for international cooperation and advanced data analytics to combat these digital threats. Another vulnerability of well-financed terrorist organisations that can be exploited is the extensive paper trails they leave, which can be infiltrated to gather intelligence.
The seminar concluded with a Q&A session that covered the methods terrorist organisations employ to transfer funds across borders, the efficacy of cryptocurrencies in terrorist financing and weapon smuggling, and what further measures are needed to combat these threats more effectively.
