FATF report highlights digital platforms' role in terror attacks
A new report from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) points out how terrorism is getting a digital upgrade.
Using the 2019 Pulwama attack and the 2022 Gorakhnath Temple incident as examples, FATF highlights how attackers are turning to e-commerce sites and online payment tools to fund and organize their plans.
Everyday online services being misused for terrorism
In Pulwama, attackers bought aluminum powder for explosives straight from Amazon.
For the Gorakhnath Temple case, money was moved using online payments and VPNs to support ISIL—all while staying under the radar.
FATF warns this kind of misuse of everyday digital services is on the rise.
Some governments back terrorists; funding now regional
The report also notes that some governments secretly back terrorist groups through things like trade smuggling.
Plus, terror financing isn't just top-down anymore—groups like Al-Qaeda are spreading out operations regionally and tapping into local sources of money, making it harder to track where funds are coming from.