Bankrupting Terror: The Impact of Terrorism on Africa

1. Bankrupting Terror: Africa By: Megan C., Melissa H. & Marshall S.

2. Overview of Terrorism in Africa

4. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) Overview: • Jihadist terror group based in North Africa • Generally operates in Algeria, Mali, Mauritania, Libya, Tunisia, and Niger • Formal Al-Qaeda affiliate • Same organizational structure • Founded in 2007 in Algeria • Membership is mostly drawn from Algeria and local Saharan communities Mission: • Dismantle regional governments and implement sharia

5. History - AQIM • AQIM finds its roots in the Armed Islamic Group (GIA), and Islamist movement founded in Algeria in the early 1990’s • The GIA was later broken up due to ideological differences and the Group for Preaching and Combat Emerged • Merged with Al-Qaeda in 2006 • With the help of Al-Qaeda, terrorist operations in North Africa have increased dramatically since 2006 • Approximately 50 deadly attacks • Death of Mummar Qaddafi

6. Notable Attacks - AQIM • April 2007 - two car bombs detonated near Prime Minister’s office in Algier, killing 30 and injuring 150 • August 2008 - car bomber self-detonates near a police academy in Algerian town, killing 43 and wounding more than 45 • September 2012 - members from AQIM were among those who planned attacks against US Consulate in Benghazi, Killing Ambassador Stevens • January 2013 - AQIM seizes control of Amenas natural gas plant in a hostage situation. Failed negotiations lead to the death of at least 37 hostages • March 2016 - gunmen open fire at beach resort in Grand-Bassam, killing 19 people • Two days ago - Mali army base bombing killed 50, wounded 100

7. Financing - AQIM • One of the region's wealthiest, best armed militant groups • Main sources of funding: • Kidnapping and Extortion • $200 million • Humanitarian organizations and Western governments • $35 million from Paris • Other sources: • Drugs (cartels), people, cigarettes, and arms trafficking • Money laundering and smuggling • Supported by Al-Qaeda, and allegedly by foreign governments (Iran, Sudan) • Money hidden by cooperation from locals, and buried in ground

8. US Operations in Africa • AFRICOM • Counterinsurgency operations • Non combatant military activity • Training and equipping allies • Strengthening local communities • Drone surveillance • Counterterror operations • Potential destabilization

9. Al Shabaab • Inception: 2006 • Fighting began in Somalia • Leader: Ahmed Abdi Aw-Mohamed “Godane” • 2008: Godane pledges allegiance to al Qaeda • 2010: Bombings in Kampala and Uganda • Currently control large areas of Somalia

10. Al Shabaab Funding State Sponsors Charities Individual Gifts Terrorists Groups Businesses Ransom Looting NGO’s

11. Funding Transfers are done through: • Banking Channels • Hawala (Muslim system of transferring through a network of brokers) • Courier • Funds used for: training, recruiting, weapons and equipment

12. Funding Used For: • Social Services for members • Fighting to overthrow the Somalia’s Government • Expelling Ethiopian troops from Somalia • Waging jihad on nonbelievers(recruiting, training, weapons)

13. Lord’s Resistance Army • Inception: 1980’s • Christen Cult • Fighting in Uganda, South Sudan, Central African Republic and Congo • Main goals- take over Ugandan government • Leader: Joseph Kony (self declared prophet) • Known for kidnapping children and forcing them to be soldiers/sex-slaves • Bush and Obama led support to stop LRA • New Leader:Dominic Ongwen surrendered in 2015 • Kony is still at large

14. LRA Funding Looting Trafficking illegal gold/ivory/diamonds Elephant Poaching

15. Boko Haram •“Western education is forbidden”-any association with Western society is “haram” (voting in elections, wearing shirts & shorts, secular education) •Salafist jihadi version of Islam-sharia law/courts •Originally non-violent, wanted to withdraw from corrupt Nigerian state, became radical/violent in 2009 •Have killed over 17,000 people, displaced over 2M and destroyed about 1000 schools •Most dominant in Nigeria, present in Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger

16. Prominent dates •Founded in 2002 by Mohammed Yusuf (killed in 2009), replaced by Abubakar Shekau •Declared areas they controlled a caliphate in 2014 •April 14, 2014 kidnapped 200 school girls •March 2015, pledged allegiance to ISIS (confusing…could ostracize local population base) Organizational Structure •Fighters are mostly of the Kanuri ethnic group (largest), because of their accents and traditional facial hair, easily recognizable…stick to NE areas because familiar •Fragmented organization-could be weakness or possibility for them to partner with other groups

17. Financing Operations •Kidnapping is main source-millions of dollars annually •Receives about $1M for the kidnapping/release of each wealthy Nigerian •$3M for the release of a French family, also kidnapped Canadian nun and Italian priest •Bank robberies, imposed taxes, foreign donations (Britain’s Al-Muntada Trust Fund and Saudi Arabia’s Islamic World Society), al-Qaeda, smuggling, black market •Suspected connection with Saudi Arabia, Yusuf sought refuge there in 2004 •Human trafficking with 33 countries, including Eastern Europe •Capturing Industry-take over legitimate companies, most often oil refineries •Trade of money is outside of banking system-difficult to track •Runs low cost operations, unsophisticated weapons, steals most weapons from Nigerian gov. •Nigerian army soldiers paid $249/month

18. What can be done? •Nigerian government to step up-plan to improve education and provide jobs -Nigerian army corrupt-historically they have used excessive force, imprisoned without trial, enforced disappearances, torture) -Nigerian government looking for loan from World Bank •Lift ban on importing cars and improve border monitoring -500,00 jobs could be created; supported by Kewalram Chanrai Group -15,000 Boko Haram soldiers currently

19. Defunding Terrorism

20. Sources https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R42094.pdf https://globalecco.org/financing-al-shabaab-the-vital-port-of-kismayo