This Thursday, the European Parliament discussed the issue of terrorism funding and how to stop money being channeled to terrorist cells.
MEPs urged that EU countries must share intelligence based on based on information traced from doubtful donations and transactions.
MEPs agreed at a non-legislative resolution voted on the same day that suspending funds connected to illegal trades in firearms, drugs and oil among other things was central to combating international terrorism.
The fight against terrorism (Photo: European Parliament)
Some MEPs also stressed that part of this financing was originating from within Europe, for instance, through various non-profit organizations and their camouflage projects disguised in the form of charities, foundations and networks—which tend to be well-connected within the EU and provide effective cover for abusive purposes.
MEPs urged the EU Council and Commission to step up their intelligence exchanges by better coordinating their financial, law enforcement and intelligence agencies through a common EU counter-terrorism platform.
They also claimed this new effort should happen outside the purview of EUROPOL, including the creation of a new database of suspicious financiers.
The MEPs also discussed compiling a list of personnel and entities operating under opaque regimes, as well as monitoring such organizations and their transactions including but not limited to pre-paid cards, non-traditional forms of currencies like block chain and FinTech apparatuses that can be misappropriated to fund terrorism.
The European Parliament’s recommendations on blocking sources of jihadist income were passed by in a 533-24 vote, with only 43 MEPs abstaining.
By MSEAP Cyber Secretariat (mseap@assembly.go.kr) |
