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Time of India
7 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Pulwama terrorists used Amazon to order bomb materials, says global terror financing watchdog FATF
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global watchdog on terror financing, has highlighted instances from India where online platforms such as Amazon and PayPal were used to fund or execute terror activities. The cases cited include the 2019 Pulwama attack and the 2022 Gorakhnath Temple assault in Uttar Pradesh. In a recent report, FATF raised concerns about terrorists increasingly using e-commerce platforms and online payment services to procure materials and transfer money for their operations, a TOI report stated. Pulwama attack involved online procurement The FATF report noted that a key chemical used in the Pulwama bombing, aluminium powder, was purchased through an ad network on Amazon. "Investigations revealed the cross-border movement of a large quantity of explosives into India. Notably, a key component of the improvised explosive device used in the attack , aluminium powder, was procured through EPOM Amazon, an ad network. This material was used to enhance the impact of the blast," the report said. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had earlier named Waiz-ul-Islam as one of the accused in the case. According to the chargesheet, 'He personally delivered the items to JeM terrorists after procuring the incriminating material online as a part of the conspiracy to carry out the Pulwama attack.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo The chargesheet, filed in a special court in Jammu, also stated, 'Accused Sajjad Bhat had purchased a Maruti Eeco car for the purpose of carrying out the IED attack.' JeM chief Moulana Masood Azhar, his brothers Rouf Asgar and Ammar Alvi, suicide bomber Adil Ahmed Dar, and 15 others were named as accused in the case. PayPal used in Gorakhnath Temple attack FATF also cited the April 2022 attack on security personnel at Gorakhnath Temple in Uttar Pradesh. The report said, 'On April 3, 2022, the accused individual attacked security personnel at Gorakhnath Temple, influenced by the Islamic State's ideology.' Live Events It noted that the accused had used PayPal to transfer funds to the Islamic State. The report also mentioned that the individual had used a virtual private network (VPN) to avoid detection and carried out 44 payments using third-party transactions. FATF warning on online abuse by terrorists The FATF report stressed that these examples showed a rising trend of terrorists exploiting online platforms to support their operations. It urged nations and digital service providers to strengthen checks to prevent such misuse. The cases, according to FATF, illustrate how technology can be repurposed for terrorist agendas if not adequately monitored.
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Time of India
Component of Pulwama IED was ordered via Amazon: FATF
Representative image NEW DELHI: Global terror financing watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has raised concerns about the exploitation of e-commerce platforms and online payment services to fund terrorist activities, citing cases from India, including the 2019 Pulwama attack , in which the Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) bought on Amazon a chemical that was added to the RDX used to kill CRPF troopers. In a report, FATF also said the lone accused in the 2022 attack on security personnel at UP's Gorakhnath temple had transferred funds to the Islamic State using PayPal. These cases, it said, illustrated the growing trend of terrorists leveraging online platforms to facilitate their activities. On the Pulwama attack in J&K, the report said, "Investigations revealed the cross-border movement of a large quantity of explosives into India. Notably, a key component of the improvised explosive device used in the attack - aluminium powder-was procured through EPOM Amazon, an ad network. This material was used to enhance the impact of the blast." During its investigation, NIA had probed an accused named Waiz-ul-Islam and found that he had used his Amazon account to procure chemicals for making IEDs, batteries and other accessories on the directions of Pakistani JeM terrorists. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Investigadora argentina revela hallazgos sobre el magnesio Salud Esencial Leer más Undo "He personally delivered the items to JeM terrorists after procuring the incriminating material online as a part of the conspiracy to carry out the Pulwama attack," NIA had said in its chargesheet. "Accused Sajjad Bhat had purchased a Maruti Eeco car for the purpose of carrying out the IED attack," it added. This chargesheet, filed in a special court in Jammu, named JeM chief Moulana Masood Azhar, his two brothers Rouf Asgar and Ammar Alvi, suicide bomber Adil Ahmed Dar and 15 others as accused. On the temple attack, the FATF report said, "On April 3, 2022, the accused individual attacked security personnel at Gorakhnath Temple, influenced by the Islamic State's ideology," the report said. As per FATF, the accused had been using a VPN for calling, chatting and downloading to evade detection, and had made 44 payments while using third-party transactions.
Hindustan Times
08-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
FATF report flags misuse of digital platforms in terror attacks
NEW DELHI: The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on Tuesday warned about the use of e-commerce platforms and virtual private networks (VPNs) by terrorists to procure explosives or arrange funds, citing the example of the February 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing and April 2022 Gorakhnath temple terror attack. A flag with the logo of the Financial Action Task Force, FATF, waves in the wind next to the German national falg during a meeting of the task force at the Congress Center in Berlin, Germany.(AP) In its latest report titled 'Comprehensive update on terrorist financing risks', the multilateral financial watchdog said it has received inputs from delegations and publicly available sources regarding state sponsorship of terrorism, including by groups designated by the United Nations. The FATF didn't specifically name any country. However, India has repeatedly asserted at international forums that Pakistan openly supports UN-listed terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). Citing the 2019 Pulwama suicide attack that killed 40 Indian troopers as a case study for misuse of e-commerce platforms for terror financing, the report said: 'Investigations revealed the cross-border management of a large quantity of explosives into India. Notably, a key component of the improvised explosive device used in the attack - aluminium powder - was procured through the EPOM [e-commerce platform and online marketplace] Amazon. This material was used to enhance the impact of the blast.' To be sure, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had said in its Pulwama attack charge sheet that one of the accused, Waiz-ul-Islam, a resident of Srinagar, had helped the main planner Umar Farooq in procuring explosives from Amazon. Forty Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in the terror attack on February 14, 2019, triggering the Indian Air Force (IAF)'s air strike on a JeM terror camp deep inside Pakistan 12 days later. This resulted in a dogfight between combat jets of the two nations on February 27. 'The possibility that States may choose to provide financial or other forms of support to organisations that engage in terrorist acts is a longstanding terror financing threat to international peace and security, as well as to the stability of regional financial and political systems,' the report said. 'Moreover, it undermines the effectiveness of FATF activities that are intended to support governments in adopting best practices to detect, deter and otherwise disrupt terror financing,' it said, adding that support by states was provided in the form of direct financial support, logistical and material support, of the provision of training. On the use of online payment service and VPNs by terrorists, the FATF report referred to the April 3, 2022 attack on security personnel at Gorakhnath temple by an Islamic State-inspired terrorist, Murtaza Abbasi. 'The financial investigation revealed that individual A transferred INR 669,841 (USD 7,685) via PayPal to foreign countries in support of ISIL, using international third party transactions and using VPN services to obscure the IP address,' the report said. 'The forensic report revealed that the accused had been using a VPN for calling, chatting, and downloading to evade detection. Further financial scrutiny uncovered that the accused had made a payment to a VPN provider through his bank account to secure these services,' the report said. 'A comprehensive analysis of the accused's PayPal transactions, obtained via email, indicated that approximately forty-four international third-party transactions totaling ₹669,841 (approximately USD 7,736) had been made to foreign accounts. Additionally, the accused received funds from a foreign account through PayPal. The investigation also uncovered that the accused had sent money to multiple individuals identified as ISIL followers in the foreign jurisdictions to support terror activities,' it said. The global watchdog had last month condemned the April 22 Pahalgam attack, saying it could not have occurred without money and means to move funds between terrorist supporters, which Indian officials described as an important first direct statement by the FATF. 'Terrorist attacks kill, maim and inspire fear around the world. The FATF notes with grave concern and condemns the brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April 2025. This, and other recent attacks, could not occur without money and the means to move funds between terrorist supporters,' the statement by FATF said.
