The CIA on terrorism and tech

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 […]

New US law brands journalists and humanitarian aid workers as terrorist risk

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 […]

UK to prohibit insurance payments to terrorists for ransom and jail insurance executives for up to 14 years for terrorist financing on conviction

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 […]

Seminar on Terrorism Risks in Canada & Stopping Funding of Terrorism

Tweet On behalf of the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists in Canada, we’re pleased to announce a wine & cheese on the important topic of understanding terrorist threats in Canada and ways to stop terrorist funding on December 3, 2014 in Vancouver. The session is aimed at providing guidance to financial institutions, money services […]

Canada introduces anticipated Protection of Canada From Terrorists Act

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 […]

Canada to adopt terrorism law to spy on homegrown terrorists – will it be challenged?

Tweet New proposed terrorism surveillance law The government of Canada will announce proposed legislation tomorrow to increase its counter-terrorism measures in response to the national security threats from the Islamic State. The proposed law will give more power to CSIS agents in Canada to detect and track persons associated with, or suspected to be associated […]

Islamic State – ISIS funded by sales of oil, captured women and taxes Christians must pay to stay alive; and how banks are used to finance terrorism

Tweet Terrorist groups are not a financial island This article has been updated and replaced with the White Paper on ISIS’ Terrorist Financing available here.

UN Security Council calls on ban of oil trades from listed terrorist groups

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 […]

US Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism Discusses Banks, Bitcoin, AML & Sanctions

Tweet US Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism on Bitcoin, Banks, AML and Regulation The US Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, David S. Cohen, discussed the risks of digital currencies and Bitcoin in a Bloomberg talk in New York City today. Mr. Cohen said the regulation of Bitcoin coming down the pipe may require financial […]

The elusive female terrorist and Russia’s sweeping new anti-terrorism laws

Tweet  In a weird case of real life emulating fiction, the mass hunt for the alleged prospective suicide bomber, the so-called black widow of Chechnya, Ruzana Ibragimova, before the Sochi Olympic Games is playing out a little like the film From Paris With Love, the fictional story of a female terrorist in France aligned with […]