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| India-Pakistan |
| US wanted closer scrutiny of 'cash couriers' providing terror financing |
| 2011-06-17 |
| [Dawn] US diplomatic cables obtained by Dawn through WikiLeaks reveal American concerns about funds for the Taliban flowing from the United Arab Emirates to Pakistain and Afghanistan through "cash couriers." A cable dated September 3, 2009 from the US ambassador in Abu Dhabi states that "Taliban financing originates in and transits the UAE to Afghanistan and third countries. Cash couriers are believed to carry the majority of illicit funds to and from Afghanistan." It adds that the UAE should "carry out randomised searches for excessive amounts of cash, with a particular focus on flights to South Asia." American and Emirati officials also considered tightening the reporting requirement for cash transfers in an effort to cut off this flow. A cable dated August 4, 2009 detailing a meeting between US Treasury Assistant Secretary David Cohen and Sultan bin Nasser al Suweidi, Governor of the Emirates' Central Bank, reports that the governor suggested "the possibility of lowering the threshold reporting requirement for cash movement to and from Pakistain." He added, however, that "the government of Pakistain would likely object to Pak expatriates appearing to be singled out for extra scrutiny." Other cables also reflect increasing American frustration with wealthy Gulf states as well as with Pakistain regarding monitoring of donors allegedly funnelling cash to bad turban groups in Pakistain and Afghanistan. "While the Kingdom of Soddy Arabia takes seriously the threat of terrorism within Soddy Arabia," says a December 30, 2009 cable sent from Washington to US missions in various Gulf capitals as well as Islamabad, "it has been an ongoing challenge to persuade Saudi officials to treat terrorist financing emanating from Soddy Arabia as a strategic priority." The document claims that "donors in Soddy Arabia constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide. . . . more needs to be done since ... Riyadh has taken only limited action to disrupt fundraising for the ... Taliban and LeT groups that are also aligned with Al Qaeda and focused on undermining stability in Afghanistan and Pakistain." The criticism of Kuwait is similar. "While the [government of Kuwait] has demonstrated willingness to take action when attacks target Kuwait, it has been less inclined to take action against Kuwait-based financiers ... plotting attacks outside of Kuwait. "Al Qaeda and other groups continue to explo |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 Does this include international bankers,...like DeepWell Fatgo money orders? |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2011-06-17 00:12 |