How is it funded?

Bin Laden is extremely rich himself, having been born into a prominent Saudi family, and he has close ties with wealthy Islamist sympathisers across the Muslim world. Funds are channelled to al-Qaeda from a variety of sources, including hawalas (small money-brokering operations), Islamic charities, fake companies, lightly regulated banking centres (e.g. Dubai and Liechtenstein) and commodities such as Angolan diamonds or Afghan opium, which can be transported easily and traded for cash or weapons. Identifying the sources of funding for al-Qaeda and other Islamic militant groups is a major aspect of counter-terrorism operations against them.

‘We love death. The US loves life. That is the difference between us two.’

OSAMA BIN LADEN, November 2001

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