Daesh financing: New revelations surface
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MOSCOW - No longer able to fill its coffers via the illegal oil trade after losing control over hydrocarbon deposits in Syria and Iraq, Daesh (ISIL/ISIS) terrorists now are believed to be turning their attention to the Internet in an attempt to supplement their income.
The military successes of the Syrian Arab Army and its Russian allies have meant Daesh terrorists losing access to the rich oil and natural gas deposits in the country, as well as being deprived of the ability to transport hydrocarbons to prospective buyers, Russian envoy to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said.
"By the end of 2017 the [terrorist] organization was earning no more than $2 million in oil and natural gas revenues, with Daesh’s gross income in the Middle East decreasing to $3 million in total," he declared.
In an attempt to turn things around, Daesh terrorists are looking into using “modern technologies” to raise more money for their nefarious activities, Nebenzya added.
"For example, terrorists’ accomplices operating in one of the countries bordering Syria steal people’s money using fake online shops. Daesh members also aren’t afraid of making money from Internet casinos," the envoy explained.
The diplomat revealed that Daesh’s ill-gotten gains often end up in accounts at "reputable banking organizations in the Persian Gulf, Europe, Middle East and Central Asia", adding that Russia recently provided information related to such activities to the Financial Action Task Force (on Money Laundering).
Also, Nebenzya remarked that the terrorist group makes attempts to invest money "into legitimate business ventures abroad."
"We believe that such instances should be thoroughly investigated by the authorities of these countries," Nebenzya surmised.
After apparently being on the verge of overrunning Syria and Iraq at one point, Daesh now controls only several small, isolated pockets, mostly in eastern Syria, which are being constantly hammered by Syrian armed forces and its allies.
