MOSCOW, December 18. In connection with the adoption of the UN Security Council resolution to strengthen measures against the financing of prohibited in Russia the terrorist group “Islamic state” (IG) the Director of the Department then, new challenges and threats, MFA of the Russian Federation Igor Rogachev has given interview in which has told about the sources of income of terrorists and drew attention to the supplies of modern weapons to militants.
– Recently in the context of counter-terrorism used the term “sponsorship”. It includes in addition funding? The supply of weapons? Logistics? The recruitment and training of militants? The provision of corridors at the border for entry into the territory of neighboring States? Providing false documents? Providing medical care to terrorists? Concealment by the asylum? Is there anything in Your possession relevant facts?
– When discussing the financing of terrorism really have to meet and the use of terms such as “sponsorship”, “patronage”, “complicity”. Ready to confirm that today, when sharply raises the question of reliable overlapping of channels of financing for terrorist organizations in Syria and Iraq, especially ISIS, “dzhebhat EN-Nusra” and other entities associated with “al-Qaeda”, the vocabulary used in the work with our partners and, I believe, has a right to exist.
International legal instruments for cooperation in this area serve primarily the international Convention for the suppression of the financing of terrorism 1999 and the global counter-terrorism strategy of the UN. In February, Russia initiated the adoption of UN security Council resolution 2199 introducing a ban on all economic relations with ISIS and fastening on the basis of norms and principles of international law the rules of cooperation between States in combating the financing of terrorism.
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Report of the Norwegian company: IG delivers oil to the black market through the Turkish border
On December 17 there was held an enlarged meeting of the UN security Council devoted to the fight against terrorism. According to the results of the discussions, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2253 aimed at strengthening measures to counter the financing of ISIL and other terrorist organizations. The key objectives noted the need to strengthen the detection and suppression of channels for their financial and logistical support. In accordance with the provisions of the new resolution and sanctions monitoring mechanisms of the UN will be more clearly focused on the eradication of all types of financing terrorists.
Russia insisted that the international community must put an end to the practice of the IG illegal trade in oil and oil products, and other natural resources and stolen cultural property. Surprisingly, the terrorist organization ISIS declared “outlawed” by the UN and many States and other organizations, continues to expand its Treasury almost $ 2 billion a year due to the “foreign trade”. As the number of studies conducted by the experts of the Monitoring group of the Committee of the UN security Council 1267/1989, analysts FATF and independent NGOs, the IG annually sells oil and gas in the amount of 950 million dollars of wheat and rye – 200 million cement – $ 100 million, cotton at $ 20 million, and actively sells phosphates, sulfuric and phosphoric acid. It is necessary to block other channels of financing of terrorism, including, for example, collected in several countries, donations – perhaps you can call this the phenomenon of “sponsoring”. The IG connects to the trafficking in human organs.
Now the Russian VKS systematically destroy the infrastructure used IG for smuggling Syrian and Iraqi oil. And partners in the US driven coalition, apparently, finally “noticed” these goals and has also begun airstrikes on related to the “oil industry” objects of IG.
“ISLAMIC STATE”
“Islamic state” (ISIS) – an Islamist terrorist organization operating inside Iraq and Syria. Established on 15 October 2006 by the merger of 11 radical Sunni groups. The core group forming the militants, who fought with American troops during their stay in Iraq and with the forces of the government of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
The IG recognized as a terrorist organization in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Turkey, Egypt, UAE, India, Indonesia, and Russia (29 December 2014).
The US led coalition have intensified recently. It is under the influence of the terrorist attacks in Paris, jealousy about the effectiveness of the actions of the Russian HQs in Syria, the desire to prevent the defeat of the IG “alternative”, the Russian coalition, or something else?
– I think you are right, the explanation here may be a “bouquet”.
See also
The UN security Council ordered countries to stop funding ISIS and other terrorist groups
Perhaps this including “competition for the laurels” in the fight against ISIS.
But Russia on these issues is not intended to compete with anyone. We continue to advocate for the creation of a broad international coalition under UN auspices.
But if in this “competition” increases the quality “product” – but is the security good, in fact, the entire international community, we are all “consumers” of this “product”.
Some other international courts, in addition to the UN, were involved?
Of course: this year, the Russian experts took an active part in the research of the FATF on the identification of channels of financial feed of the IG, as well as new, nontraditional sources of financing of terrorism. Currently we are promoting the requirement of a speedy transition to the action phase for the identification of particular States, natural and legal persons involved in economic relations with the IG. This issue was addressed in convened on the initiative of a group of States, including Russia, 12-14 December in Paris an extraordinary plenary session of FATF.
See also
The UK has developed a strategy for the suppression of the financing of ISIS
Supported the Russian initiative is subject to review at the next plenary in February 2016, the inclusion in the FATF standards, the prohibition of any trading, commercial and financial transactions with the “Islamic state”. Set up a Special working group on tackling the financing of terrorism, composed of the representative of the Russian Federation.
At our suggestion, the activities of the FATF in the near future will focus on the issues of combating the financing of terrorism. Until 1 February 2016, member States of the FATF should provide detailed information on the work done in this area.
The contribution of our country in international efforts to combat the financing of terrorism is also carried out under the Russian presidency of the FATF (2013 – 2014) large-scale project to identify illicit financial flows from the production and trafficking of Afghan drugs, which established financial centers for laundering drug money.
We work with many other organizations and forums – we can say that thanks to the dedicated work of Russia formed an international “United front” against the financing of terrorism, which, we hope, will increase their activity level.
However in the agenda, another question arises associated with the financing of terrorist organizations. Let’s just “turn on” common sense as a terrorist organization the Islamic state, with tens of thousands of militants, fighting for several years with two national armies, not small States of Syria and Iraq, without any difficulties, for example, of ammunition? After all, it’s thousands and thousands of tons! Support to the armed forces of these States has a number of countries. And as you add to your military Arsenal, the terrorists? According to reports, the IG are antitank missiles, tanks, howitzers, etc. And most importantly – weapons and ammunition enough, despite their destruction, including the Russian VKS. Everyone knows that the Islamists captured large arsenals in Iraq, but that was long ago; that he occasionally gets military equipment destined for “moderate” Syrian opposition. But these sources obviously can’t be everything to conduct a long-scale war. Naturally the question arises – who and how it delivers, wheeling across borders and through what, what financial instruments are used for transactions? Who are the “sponsors”? Again – as in the case with oil trading – some of US driven coalition?
SPECIAL project
From Russia with support
As the aircraft of the Russian Federation helps to fight with terrorists in Syria
This is perhaps the second major theme to which we try to draw attention of our foreign partners, or to change their attitude towards it. The format of the interview can not be specific, but at specialized international forums, and in the political body – the UN security Council – we deal with facts (see the statement by the Permanent representative of the Russian Federation to the UN V. I. Churkin), and the messages on this topic enough even in open sources.
Again there is the question of good faith efforts to counter terrorism, about the degree of thoroughness in States ‘ compliance with the requirements of the anti-terrorism UN security Council resolutions (adopted, let me remind you, with reference to the binding Chapter VII of the UN Charter). The problem of financing in a broad understanding of the IG and other terrorist organizations in Syria and Iraq, we will persistently raise and in the future.
Infographics
The Islamic state in Iraq and Syria
The territory under the control of militants, foreign mercenaries in the ranks of the terrorist group and the largest terrorist attacks of the IG – infographic
