ADVERTISEMENT

416 donors to IS identified: prosecutor

Francois Molins said that French security services had identified 416 French donors to IS and had also detected 320 fundraisers mainly based in Turkey and Libya who transferred the money to the jihadists.

A two-day conference on combating the financing of terror groups began Wednesday at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) bringing together around 80 ministers and 500 experts.

French President Emmanuel Macron will close the event with a speech later Thursday.

Attacks on Western targets have become increasingly low-cost since the 9/11 atrocities in the United States in 2001, particularly in recent years when followers of Islamic State (IS) have often used only vehicles or automatic weapons to kill people.

ADVERTISEMENT

But Molins estimated that attacks in France in January 2015 targeting the Charlie Hebdo magazine and a Jewish supermarket would have cost 25,000 euros ($30,000).

More deadly assaults by teams of IS jihadists in Paris in November of that year, including against the Bataclan concert hall, would have cost an estimated 80,000 euros, he said.

A French presidential official briefing journalists ahead of the terror funding conference this week said that IS income was estimated at about one billion dollars (820 million euros) a year between 2014-2016.

Most of this was from local taxation, oil revenues and looting, with far smaller amounts flowing in from overseas donors.

French officials are concerned that the money has been transferred out of Syria and Iraq and could be used to rebuild the organisation.

ADVERTISEMENT

"It has been moved since, at least in part. It's probably somewhere," the official said on condition of anonymity. "These groups are very skilful in using sophisticated techniques to move financial resources around."

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng

Recommended articles

Here's why Nigeria's Remi Tinubu was picked as 9th most decent first lady in Africa

Here's why Nigeria's Remi Tinubu was picked as 9th most decent first lady in Africa

Ikeja Electric slashes electricity tariff for Band A customers

Ikeja Electric slashes electricity tariff for Band A customers

ICPC wants Osun corps members to join war against corruption in Nigeria

ICPC wants Osun corps members to join war against corruption in Nigeria

Edo assembly suspends 3 lawmakers after uncovering plot to impeach speaker

Edo assembly suspends 3 lawmakers after uncovering plot to impeach speaker

PHOTOS: Tragic scenes as fire guts residence of ex-Kano

PHOTOS: Tragic scenes as fire guts residence of ex-Kano

'We must find our money' - Otti vows to recover stolen government funds

'We must find our money' - Otti vows to recover stolen government funds

US court jails Ghanaian couple 25 years each for killing 5-year-old son

US court jails Ghanaian couple 25 years each for killing 5-year-old son

Yusuf to fight untidiness in Kano with skid-steer, settles sweepers' dues

Yusuf to fight untidiness in Kano with skid-steer, settles sweepers' dues

Lagos to experience morning, afternoon thunderstorms for 3 days

Lagos to experience morning, afternoon thunderstorms for 3 days

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT