Peter Dutton warns terrorists are exploiting crypto-currency to 'obfuscate' crimes

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton will tell a conference on terrorism financing that terrorists are using crypto-currencies to fund operations.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton. Source: AAP

Terrorists are exploiting crypto-currencies to fund their deadly missions, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has warned.

Mr Dutton says the anonymity of the online currencies allows extremists to escape scrutiny.

"The anonymity afforded by such technologies enables terrorist financiers to obfuscate their activities," he will tell a counter-terror conference in Melbourne on Thursday.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton. Source: AAP
"The increasing use of digital and crypto-currencies, stored-value cards, online payment systems and crowd-funding platforms provide new channels through which terrorism may be financed."

He says countries need to stay ahead of modern financing measures, while also warning terrorists continue to use traditional methods, like ransom money and fraudulent charities.

Mr Dutton will call on Australia's private lenders to help join the fight, saying nations needed to embrace expertise from outside governments.

The home affairs minister will also call for greater scrutiny of charities and not-for-profits, saying they had become popular terror financing conduits.

"In many cases, not-for-profits are not even aware that they are being taken advantage of," Mr Dutton will say.
Mr Dutton says the anonymity of online currencies allows extremists to escape proper scrutiny.
Mr Dutton says the anonymity of online currencies allows extremists to escape proper scrutiny. Source: Getty Images
Mr Dutton will point to the work of Australia's anti-money laundering watchdog, AUSTRAC, in the Indo-Pacific to combat Islamic State and al-Qaeda.

The home affairs minister will also lump Islamist extremism and far-right extremism in with "environmental radicalism".


Share
Published 7 November 2019 9:20am
Updated 7 November 2019 11:44am
By SBS News
Source: SBS


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world