Defeating Terrorist Support Structures after Mumbai II

by John Soloman

The November 2008 terrorist attack on Mumbai underscored a central challenge in the global counterterrorism struggle: defeating broad terrorist support structures. This is the second of a three part series to address this fundamental and often controversial aspect of countering the financing of terrorism (CFT).

The issue is fundamental because without solid recruitment and funding structures, the active terrorist cells are debilitated to a significant degree. The issue is controversial because broad organizational infrastructures often encompass non-profit fronts that carry out vital humanitarian activities irrespective of their involvement in militancy or terrorism.

Non-profit organizations continue to be an effective way for terrorist organizations to raise money and build their infrastructures. The February 2008 FATF report indicated that non-profit organizations are “coming to be recognized as a crucial weak point in the global
struggle to combat terrorist finance.” This trend is not a new one. Charitable fronts have long been associated with controversial causes.

In the context of November’s attack, this second report will examine the Pakistan-based non-profit organization Jamaatud- Dawa (JuD), allegedly the public face of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba
(LeT), which is thought to be responsible for the horrific siege of Mumbai. JuD denies any link to LeT. The third report will consider whether the UN Security Council’s decision to ban JuD following the attack will eliminate the organization or its activities, and will also provide recommendations for the private and public sectors to fortify the system to reduce the risk of breach by terrorists and their financiers.....