Tweet On June 16, 2016, the Director of the CIA testified before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in respect of the Islamic State (ISIS), terrorism and technology generally. Here is an executive summary: The CIA said there there has never been a time when there is such a “dizzying” array of national security issues […]
Tweet The Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community (the “Report“) prepared by the Director of National Intelligence on February 9, 2016, is a very interesting read from a counter-terrorism perspective, and essential reading for any bank in respect of assessing client and regional risks. Generally, the Report is dead on in respect of […]
Tweet In this story in Quartz, we explore how a new US law, HR158, the Visa Waiver Program Improvement Amendment Act 2015, will result in journalists and humanitarian aid works, and many others being branded a terrorist risk for visiting Iraq, Syria, Iran and the Sudan, and how the new law will affect the ability […]
Tweet 1. New Anti-Terrorism Act, 2015 The Government of Canada introduced its anticipated anti-terrorism legislation in Parliament. Bill C-51, entitled “An Act to Enact the Security of Canada Information Sharing Act and the Secure Air Travel Act†(the “Anti-Terrorism Act, 2015“) which is intended to arm the government with broader powers to address the increasing threat of […]
Tweet Ransom payments The UK government’s proposed Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill 127 (the “Counter-Terrorism & Security Act“), now at Second Reading in the UK Parliament, will prohibit insurance companies from making ransom payments to terrorists and terrorist organizations. The provision would amend §17, the counter-terrorism financing part of the UK Terrorism Act 2000, to make it […]
Tweet New Anti-Terrorism Measures The Government of Canada released its proposed new anti-terrorism legislation today, entitled the Protection of Canada From Terrorists Act, Bill C-44 (the “PCFT“). The material part of the PCTF amends the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act and is quite short. It does as follows: Clarifies that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (“CSIS“) has […]
Tweet The government of Australia is set to announce sweeping new counter-terrorism laws early next week according to several news reports. The new anti-terrorism laws will, inter alia: Authorize police to secretly search the home of suspected terrorists. Allow the incarceration for up to five years of persons convicted of preaching radical extremists acts (presumably related […]
Tweet AUSTRAC unregisters MSB Australia’s financial intelligence unit, AUSTRAC, has suspended the registration and activities of a money services business (MSB) in Australia over questions arising from potential terrorist financing. It is the first time AUSTRAC has suspended a reporting entity. The MSB, operating under the trade name Bisotel Rieh Pty Ltd., failed to report […]
Tweet The key issue at the International Conference on Peace and Security in Iraq today was terrorist financing – how the ISIS got to be financed thus far and how to disrupt its financing. The Conference, convened by the President of France and of Iraq, was convened to discuss ways to deal with the growing threat […]
Tweet Listed terrorist group takes over energy infrastructure The Security Council of the United Nations today called on its members not to engage in financial or commercial transactions with listed terrorist groups, in particular involving the sale of oil from Syria or Iraq that would involve the financing of terrorism. Anti-terrorism and sanctions laws In […]