German Paper Sheds Light on Money Laundering and Terrorism Scandal Involving ‘Polisario’

The ”polisario” is at the heart of a money laundering scandal and an obscure terrorist financing network operated in Europe with the complicity of Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Shiite group, reveals the German newspaper “Die Welt”. Citing financial investigations, reports from the Spanish Civil Guard and terrorism experts, the daily highlights recent large-scale financial deals and transactions between the “polisario” militia and a Hezbollah network specializing in money laundering through the “Hawala” system, which transfers money through an informal clearing mechanism between exchange nodes. Once the dirty money is injected into the official financial system, Hezbollah transfers value to its criminal clients by buying and selling goods using classic money laundering techniques, the publication explains. According to “Die Welt”, the investigators discovered illegal money transfers between many European countries, including Germany, Belgium, France and Great Britain, as well as the Gulf States and the Tindouf camps controlled by the “polisario” in southern Algeria. “The ‘Hawala’ commercial network of the ‘polisario’ was set up in Tindouf by two agents and frontline courtiers, Ahmed A. and his associate Azman. Ahmed A. boasts that he can transfer up to 50,000 euros anywhere, anytime. He says he will be able to make even bigger transfers,” Die Welt points out, citing reports from the Guardia Civil’s financial department. ”Ahmed A., who studied in Libya, has lived in Spain since 2007 and specializes in transferring illegal money from Europe to West Africa and vice versa. He and his associates are based in Spain. They have good contacts with Algerian generals,” the same source adds, noting that ”to conceal their illegal financial activities, the two ‘Hawala’ brokers of the ‘polisario’ have opened butcher shops and food and computer stores, and private accounts in several European banks where their clients can transfer money”. The revelations confirm the link between the “polisario” and Hezbollah, alarming terrorism experts and international counter-terrorism agencies, while Iran, a state sponsor of terrorism, is expanding its influence in West Africa, the daily notes. In addition, the Tehran regime has supplied the “polisario” militia with missiles and drones, threatening regional stability, while Hezbollah has established a training site in the Tindouf camps for “polisario” fighters with the blessing of the ruling Algerian junta, the German newspaper stresses.