Qatar as terrorist ATM: Why India should worry?

When the ISIS announced its Afghanistan wing, the Al-Khorasan, India knew well that trouble was round the corner.

While India has its task cut out in battling the numerous terror outfits, the bigger worry now points to Qatar which has been described by the West as an ATM for terrorists.

While there are many mindless people who contribute generously for the cause of terrorists, India worries that the same Qatar funds which were used liberally by the Lashkar-e-Tayiba will be utlised now by the Khorasan.

Three Indians under the scanner:

The ISIS has a dedicated team of people who micro manage the funds. In fact the team which managed the funds for the Lashkar were also similar.

There are three operatives in the United Arab Emirates who are part of the Indian Mujahideen who manage the funds for the ISIS.

The new found love of the Indian Mujahideen for the ISIS comes in the wake of them breaking away from the Lashkar terming them as stage managed stooges of the ISI.

One of the names that comes to mind is that of Sultan Armar against whom the Indian agencies have initiated a process to bring him back.

India has also sent two more names to the Gulf believed to be associated with the money movement for the ISIS and say that their extradition is round the corner.

How funds are diverted:

Earlier there was a lot of funds that were transferred directly from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan or India. However with the scrutiny levels up, the money was collected in Saudi and moved in Qatar where it was kept in a safe house.

The money would then be wired or transferred through a hawala channel into India or Pakistan. Recently an expert from the United States said that terrorist funding out of Qatar runs into millions of dollars.

A large part of the money is now going into the coffers of the ISIS. Earlier Qatar and Saudi money was pumped into the accounts of the Al-Qaeda.

Saudi Arabia in fact seized 10 million dollars which was being sent for terror financing. The money collected in Saudi was to move into Qatar and then routed into the coffers of terror groups.

Contributing to the ISIS:

Indian agencies are on the look out for Indian nationals trying to join the outfit. With the Khorasan being announced, the worry is more since there could be a lot more youth trying to enter into Afghanistan.

It is easier for an Indian to enter into Afghanistan rather than travel all the way to Syria or Iraq. Moreover, in the past we have seen that radicals such as Anwar Bhatkal had joined the fight in Afghanistan.

This is more to do with the distance factor and the conditions in Afghanistan is more suitable to an Indian when compared to an Iraq or a Syria.

Indian agencies apart from trying to curb recruitments are also looking closely at the donations that are being made by Indians.

There are many abroad who would contribute and history has shown that the same persons would drop in money into those donation boxes kept outside religious places.

The Lashkar had found a way of collecting money and would often keep donation boxes outside religious places.

India needs to work with Qatar:

India would have to work with Qatar in order to curb terror funding. Qatar has had its fair share of problems while dealing with this problem.

However, when one looks at the larger picture is becomes clear that the in adequacy while dealing with the problem is more due to lack of will than lack of resources.

India would want Qatar to keep a close watch on the movement of money from there into the sub-continent. An officer of the agency informed Oneindia that the best way to crush a terrorist group is to dry up their finances.

Countries such as Qatar and Saudi will have to do much more to ensure that easy finances are not available.

These countries cannot become ATMs for terrorist groups as it would not only have a bad impact on the sub-continent but on the rest of the world too, the officer further pointed out.