Posted on 06/20/2002 5:14:55 AM PDT by Stand Watch Listen
Osama bin Laden's al Qaida and other terrorist groups are reaping vast profits from the illegal sale of diamonds acquired from mines in impoverished African nations, and sold through a vast – but covert – international network, according to German sources.
Diamonds, gold, and even uranium, extracted from the impoverished nations of Liberia, Sierra Leone, Congo, and Angola in central and west African nations, are being exploited by questionable financial interests, some of whom have links to terrorist groups, resulting in many millions of dollars flowing into terrorist hands.
The financing of al-Qaida, as well as other terrorist groups, is the subject of a series of articles appearing in Der Spiegel On Line, the Internet version of the German news weekly.
A trail of diamonds, money, and weapons is beginning to unfold, as investigators and researchers begin to untangle a web of secrecy involving a high-stakes black market and multi-million dollar deals.
One of the major players is Liberia, a nation torn by civil strife since 1998 and led by strongman Charles Taylor, who is a close friend of Libyan dictator Muammar Kaddafi.
Although it is a very poor nation whose participation in international trade is minimal, Liberia has a significant role in the diamond trade.
Liberia, despite its poverty and war-torn society, exports approximately 25 times the amount of diamonds it can extract from its own mines, according to a study from "Canada-Africa Partnership," and reported by Der Spiegel.
Diplomats refer to Liberia as the region's "sluice gate" for money, which, in turn, is used by terrorists for arms, ammunition, and explosives, stated Der Spiegel.
UN experts report that bin Laden, as well as the Palestinian terrorist group Hisbolla, profit from the underground diamond trade, which originates in the mines in Congo, Sierre Leone, and Angola. Although there is no specific evidence, the UN experts believe that there is a link between the terrorist groups and certain Lebanese diamond merchants operating in the region.
One of the UN researchers, Johan Peleman, referred to Liberia, Congo, and Sierra Leone as "free trade zones," where the "beneficiaries are...criminal networks and terror groups," reported Der Spiegel.
These groups obtain diamonds and other precious stones "at a fraction of their market value," and then sell them to international gem traders. The next stop for these stones is the Antwerp, Netherlands, market, where most large gem stones are handled.
At each step of the trading process, large profits can be made, with untold sums finding their way into the pockets of international terrorism. Some members of the international intelligence community believe that Antwerp is the "financial hub" of Islamic terrorist groups, according to Der Spiegel.
International authorities recognize that greater control of diamond exports is needed, and by the end of this year stricter controls will be enforced. A certificate from a recognized nation authorizing the transport and sale of raw, uncut diamonds will become required. How effective the certification will prove to be is unclear.
Whatever future regulations may come into effect, al-Qaida, as well as other terrorist groups, have already amassed vast financial reserves.
The al-Qaida terror network alone has amassed a treasury of some five billion dollars, with expenditures of some 20 to 50 million dollars yearly, according to a study by Fredrick Schneider, a professor of Economics at the University of Linz, Austria, and reported in Der Spiegel.
In addition to illegal diamond sales, al-Qaida acquires capital from drug trafficking, and contributions from governments, religious groups, and individuals.
The Der Spiegel report did not identify which governments assist bin Laden.
The total expenditures by some 20 international extremist groups amount to between 270 to 300 million dollars per year.
Illegal diamond sales, drug trafficking, and free-will offerings, however, may not be the only methods al-Qaida uses to finance its operations.
Belgium police are investigating a possible link between the al-Qaida network and the perpetrators of a 192 million-dollar robbery - including diamonds – at the Brussels airport in October 2000.
Oh give them a break! They are busy bringing in the bummper crop of cheap Afghan drugs into Arkansas. ;-)
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