Morocco Unveils Guide to Combat Terrorist Financing Through Associations

In this guide, the Ministry of the Interior warns associations against situations where some of the money they have collected for charitable purposes could be diverted to finance terrorist activities, reports Al Ahdath Al Maghribia. It has also warned against the danger that returning jihadists could represent. It has been found that former jihadists returned from Syria or Iraq are likely to resume their activities, after serving their prison sentence. To achieve this, they try to infiltrate associations that they use to carry out their terrorist agenda. A finding corroborated by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). The latter has identified non-profit organizations as vulnerable to exploitation for the purpose of terrorist financing.

Another source of terrorist financing: fundraising activities launched on social networks such as Telegram, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to mobilize support for a cause, including charitable actions. The money collected is often diverted to serve other purposes than those declared.