April 21, 2016 | Quoted by Edwin Mora - Breitbart
Islamic State Committing ‘Cultural Genocide’ by Selling Priceless Antiques to Westerners
Expert witnesses, while testifying before a House panel about the unprecedented level of looting and destruction of priceless antiques by jihadist groups across the Middle East, identified collectors from Europe and the United States as top buyers of ancient artifacts illegally sold by the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS).
On Tuesday, the experts testified before the House Financial Services Committee’s Task Force to Investigate Terrorism Financing during a hearing titled “Preventing Cultural Genocide: Countering the Plunder and Sale of Priceless Cultural Antiquities by ISIS.”
The Islamic State is committing “cultural genocide” as it plunders and sells ancient artifacts to fund its terrorist activities, the lawmakers learned from the experts.
Looting perpetrated by ISIS is occurring on an “unprecedented scale” and is serving as a significant source of funding for the group, the United Nations has warned.
The United States, which is leading an international military coalition against ISIS, and other Western governments have reportedly been slow in taking action against the ancient artifacts trade linked to ISIS and other Islamic extremist organizations.
As a result, the lack of action has kept the United States as an open market to the import of illegally acquired cultural artifacts.
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“Islamic State has been dubbed the world’s richest terror army. And the illegal antiquities trade is one income stream which gives the group significant strategic advantage against existing counter-terror finance efforts,” testified Mr. Yaya Fanusie, director of analysis for the Center on Sanctions and Illicit Finance at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD).
“The trade’s main target buyers are, ironically, history enthusiasts and art aficionados in the United States and Europe – representatives of the Western societies which IS [Islamic State] has pledged to destroy,” he added.
“Antiquities trafficking is now more important to Islamic State, particularly as some of its other revenue sources have become more difficult to manage,” noted the FDD expert. “For example, U.S.-led airstrikes have significantly squeezed IS oil profits since 2014.”
“Although the earnings from antiquities are less robust than those from oil revenue, looting represents a stable, less capital-intensive revenue stream. With plenty of local knowledge and no shortage of civilians to dig for artifacts, the trade is rampant in the region,” said Fanusie. “Even in non-IS-held territory, many unemployed locals excavate and sell antiquities to earn income.”
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