COUNTER TERRORISM FINANCE WORKING GROUP (CTFWG):

UNCLAS ANKARA 007073 SIPDIS SENSITIVE TREASURY FOR OFAC, FINCEN AND TFFC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EFIN PTER ETTC TU KTFN SUBJECT: COUNTER TERRORISM FINANCE WORKING GROUP (CTFWG): MINUTES OF 12/20/04 MEETING ¶1. (SBU) On December 22, DCM and Terrorism Finance Coordination Officer (TFCO),Robert S. Deutsch, chaired the meeting of the Counter Terrorism Finance Working Group (CTFWG). Other participants included representatives from ECON, RSO, DEA, FBI, CONS, and OSI. ¶2. (U) ECON gave a brief overview of the results of two training programs on money laundering and terrorist financing that took place in Ankara this month. The first was held December 6-10 at the Turkish National Police (TNP) training academy and was instructed by a team of FBI, IRS, and Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) agents. The second was held December 13-15 at the Ankara Judge House for prosecutors and judges and was conducted by a team of US judges, prosecutors, and a DEA agent. Both training programs generated positive feedback from the Turkish participants. The main issue that resonated throughout both programs was the need for greater cooperation between the relevant government agencies which deal with money laundering and terrorism finance. ¶3. (U) ECON also reported that the GOT is taking measures to improve their internal capabilities on fighting terrorism finance. The GOT finally approved the Strasbourg Treaty of 1990 which allows for more international cooperation on the seizing of assets for drug-related and non-drug-related crimes. The treaty allows the GOT to freeze assets on their own authority. Previously, the GOT abided by the reciprocity principle or determined whether the individual or entity was listed on one of the UN sanctioned lists of sponsors of terrorism finance before it could freeze assets. In addition, there is a GOT working group which is revising the national terrorism-combating law. It seeks to broaden the definition of terrorism finance so that it complies with the UN definition and is harmonized with the EU definition of terrorism finance. DEUTSCH