The international organization Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has expressed serious concern about how terrorists are misusing online shopping websites and digital payment services to plan and fund attacks.
In a recent report, FATF mentioned two examples from India to show this growing threat:
Pulwama Attack (2019):
- The terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) carried out a deadly bomb attack in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, killing several CRPF jawans.
- During the investigation, it was found that a key chemical used in the bomb—aluminium powder—was bought online through Amazon.
- An accused person, Waiz-ul-Islam, bought the chemical, batteries, and other items on Amazon and handed them over to JeM terrorists as part of the planning.
- He acted on the instructions of JeM terrorists based in Pakistan.
- Another accused, Sajjad Bhat, had bought the car (a Maruti Eeco) that was used in the bomb blast.
- The NIA (National Investigation Agency) filed a chargesheet against JeM chief Masood Azhar, his brothers, and several others in a special Jammu court.
Gorakhnath Temple Attack (2022):
- In another case, an individual attacked security personnel at Gorakhnath Temple in Uttar Pradesh after being influenced by ISIS ideology.
- FATF reported that the accused used PayPal to send money to ISIS, and used a VPN to hide his online activities like calling, chatting, and downloading.
- He had made 44 digital transactions using third-party services to avoid being caught.
FATF has warned that terrorists are now using online shopping and payment services like Amazon and PayPal to buy materials and move money. This shows the need for stronger monitoring of such platforms to prevent misuse for terrorism.
