{ "id": "RL32499", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "RL32499", "active": false, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 343165, "date": "2008-06-11", "retrieved": "2016-04-07T03:22:18.120502", "title": "Saudi Arabia: Terrorist Financing Issues", "summary": "According to the U.S. State Department 2007 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, \u201cSaudi donors and unregulated charities have been a major source of financing to extremist and terrorist groups over the past 25 years.\u201d The September 11, 2001 attacks fueled criticisms within the United States of alleged Saudi involvement in terrorism or of Saudi laxity in acting against terrorist groups. The final report released by the bipartisan National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (the 9/11 Commission) indicates that the Commission \u201cfound no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded [Al Qaeda].\u201d The report also states, however, that Saudi Arabia \u201cwas a place where Al Qaeda raised money directly from individuals and through charities\u201d and indicates that \u201ccharities with significant Saudi government sponsorship\u201d may have diverted funding to Al Qaeda.\nU.S. officials remain concerned that Saudis continue to fund Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. In April 2008, Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Stuart Levey told the Senate Finance Committee that the Saudi government is \u201cserious about fighting Al Qaeda in the kingdom, and they do,\u201d and argued that Saudi officials\u2019 \u201cseriousness of purpose with respect to the money going out of the kingdom is not as high.\u201d He added, \u201cSaudi Arabia today remains the location from which more money is going to terror groups and the Taliban\u2014Sunni terror groups and the Taliban\u2014than from any other place in the world.\u201d\nSaudi officials insist that their counter-terrorist financing efforts are robust and are not limited to targeting domestic threats. In numerous official statements, Saudi leaders have said they are committed to cooperating with the United States in fighting terrorist financing, pointing out that Saudi Arabia has been a victim of terrorism and shares the U.S. interest in combating it. Saudi leaders acknowledge providing financial support for Islamic and Palestinian causes, but maintain that no official Saudi support goes to any terrorist organizations, such as Hamas.\nAl Qaeda affiliated terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia from 2003 to 2006 appear to have given added impetus to the Saudi leadership in expanding counter-terrorist financing efforts. Since mid-2003, the Saudi government has: set up a joint task force with the United States to investigate terrorist financing in Saudi Arabia; shuttered some charitable organizations suspected of terrorist ties; passed anti-money laundering legislation; banned cash collections at mosques; centralized control over some charities; closed unlicensed money exchanges; and scrutinized clerics involved in charitable collections. A planned National Commission for Relief and Charity Work Abroad has not been established. As required by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (P.L. 108-458) and the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act (P.L. 110-53), President Bush has submitted strategies for U.S.-Saudi collaboration, with special reference to combating terrorist financing.\nFor more information about Saudi Arabia, see CRS Report RL33533, Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations, by Christopher M. Blanchard. 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