Tweet The Financial Action Task Force (“FATF“) has released its list of high risk jurisdictions for money laundering and counter terrorist financing. Reporting entities are generally required to apply enhanced due diligence when dealing with funds from jurisdictions that are high risk. The high risk countries are: Vietnam Syria Iran Kenya Ecuador Korea Ethiopia Indonesia […]
Tweet The Auditor General of Canada, Michael Ferguson, released his Spring 2013 Report (the “Report“) today and among the key findings, found that $3.1 billion in funding to programs to combat terrorism in Canada is unaccounted for. Moreover, the Report found that some of the $12.9 billion approved for fighting terrorism in Canada went to pay […]
Tweet As anticipated, the federal Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act (the “Act“) came into force in Canada on March 13, 2013 without much fanfare. The Act creates a cause of action that allows victims of terrorism to sue natural and legal persons (and of particular interest, listed entities) and certain foreign states, in a Canadian court […]
Tweet U.S. Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, David Cohen, was in Europe this week warning government agencies against the increase in kidnappings for ransom by terrorist organizations (listed entities). In the past decade, al Qaeda is estimated to have received ransom payments of US$120 million from kidnappings that occurred mostly in North Africa, […]
Tweet Canada’s proposed Bill C-10 (also called the omnibus crime bill), if passed, would allow anyone who suffered loss or damage as a result of a terrorist act to bring an action to recover damages suffered by the person. Recovery is possible from any person, listed entity or foreign state provided there is a real […]
Tweet The eve of the ten year anniversary of 9/11 is a good time to look back at the pivotal changes that have shaped our legal landscape in counter terrorist financing. Ten years ago, few lawyers practiced in the area of national security and in particular terrorist financing. Since 9/11, terrorist financing and its companion, […]
Tweet The Canadian government has applied for leave to appeal a decision staying the extradition of Abdullah Khadr to the Supreme Court of Canada. In May of this year, the Ontario Court of Appeal upheld a lower court decision staying Khadr’s extradition. The Canadian government is arguing that it’s ability to comply with international obligations […]
Tweet The Court of Appeal for British Columbia has upheld a six month prison sentence imposed on a former Sri Lankan refugee in Canada for terrorist activity financing. In 2008, Prapaharan Thambaithurai solicited funds from members of the Tamil community in Vancouver to support the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a designated terrorist group in […]
Tweet According to this article in the Vancouver Sun, one of the Tamil migrants who arrived in Canada last August aboard the MV Sun Sea, has admitted that he worked for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as a mechanic and helped them dig bunkers in Sri Lanka. The LTTE is a designated terrorist […]
Tweet The Ontario Court of Appeal has upheld the conviction, and doubled the sentence of, Mohammad Khawaja, an Ottawa native, for terrorist financing and other terrorism-related charges. Calling Khawaja’s 10½ year sentence “manifestly unfit”, the Court substituted his previous sentence to a sentence of life imprisonment plus 24 years to be served concurrently. Khawaja is […]