MANAMA: The rapid advance of terrorist organizations such as Daesh poses a real threat to the region and there is a need to fight this scourge, according to the Foreign Minister of Bahrain.
“The rapid advance of terrorist organizations, since 9/11, we have all been aware of the threat these groups pose, but in recent years groups such as Daesh have come to control vast territories subjecting the populations within them to brutal and vicious treatment,” Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, the Minister for Foreign Affairs told the conference participants on Sunday.
Addressing the Conference on Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) is being held in Bahrain after six weeks of a similar meet in Paris, the Minister said Daesh had also taken control of military equipment, aiding them in their conquests, and have now developed the means to support themselves financially.
“At the Paris conference in mid-September, world leaders agreed to fight Daesh and similar groups in three crucial areas. The military arena, the ideological arena and the financial arena,” the Minister added.
“It is this vital third arena that has brought us together here today; combating the financing of terrorist organizations is half the battle to defeating them. As you are well aware, Daesh’s financial capabilities have grown considerably in recent months. In Iraq and in Syria, Daesh have established protection rackets that exploit the local economy of the areas they control, they have also looted banks, and now control several oilfields the products of which they sell on the black market, providing them with a steady stream of self-generated income. Further, Daesh continues to receive funds directly from individuals or groups from other areas in the region,” the Minister said.
“Realizing the urgency of the situation, Bahrain proposed and the world leaders accepted the need to gather the relevant experts in the field of combating the financing of terrorism to come to an agreement on how best to halt the flow of funds to groups like Daesh, and here we are,” he said.
“It is imperative that we come out of this meeting today with a clear path forward. A path that would ensure that financial institutions and charities in the region and elsewhere are not used to funnel funds to terrorist groups, one that would also put an end to their ability to smuggle goods and extort funds from commercial enterprises. World leaders are depending on you to put together a series of needed steps and regulations, and that all countries pledge to do their utmost to abide by what is agreed in this meeting.”
“We understand that challenges will arise and that the road ahead is a long one, but we simply have no other choice but to do all we can together to put an end to the terrorist organizations in our midst. I have every confidence that you are up to the task,” he said.