Reference no: EM13280526

Ideologically and politically motivated cybercrime groups Prior to September 11 2001, terrorism and organised crime were usually considered separate entities because they did not share the same motivating factor (e.g. making a political statement vs. profit). In recent years, there has been a noted convergence between terrorism and organised crime where “two sides of the ‘organised’debate may in fact find greater solace, reward and operational fluidity through a combination of their efforts”(McCusker 2006:266). A recent press release by the FBI also noted that ‘[i]nternational organized criminals provide logistical and other support to terrorists, foreign intelligence services, and foreign governments, all with interests acutely adverse to those of U.S. national security’(FBI 2008b:unpaginated).

Warren (as cited in Charlton 2005) also noted that ‘Al Qaeda has turned to organi [s]ed crime groups for their money laundering expertise.’Crimes commonly associated with organised criminal groups (e.g. scam and fraud schemes, identity and immigration crimes, the counterfeit of goods, and illegal weapons procurement) are also precursor crimes used by terrorist groups to raise funds (e.g.Todayonline 2007). A recent indictment involving a foreign narcotics kingpin (designated under the US Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act) alleged that the accused led an international heroin-trafficking organisation that channelled heroin proceeds in the U.S. to financially support the Taliban between 1994 and 2000 (US DoJ 2007d).

Criminal organizations can become ideological over time. In South Asia, they seem to have acquired ideological or religious predispositions that motivate, not merely cover, their actions. And they have increasingly become involved in supporting terrorist activities. Terrorist groups rely upon organized crime for the weaponry and munitions they require for terrorist attacks and insurgencies. To transport these goods, they use routes that have been carefully constructed by the criminal gangs, who in return seek from the terrorist groups training in the use of guns and explosives and safe passage (for a price) through militant

territory. The two groups are further connected by the drug trade: both are financially dependent on narcotrafficking (Lal 2005: 294) A distinction should, however, be drawn between crimes in which ICT is the object or the target of offending; and crimes in which technologies are the tool in the commission of the offence. The latter category incorporates two levels of reliance on technologies: offences which are enabled by technologies (i.e. in which a computer is required for the commission of the offence); and offences which are enhanced by technologies.

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