SYDNEY: Australia said on Wednesday it was striving to shut down money flows to terrorist groups after its anti-money laundering agency tracked Aus$53 million (US$38m) in suspect transactions in a year.

Government body AUSTRAC said that between July 2014 and June 2015, it monitored more than 100 people “of interest” and investigated 536 suspicious transactions valued at Aus$53m, most of which were associated with militant groups in Iraq and Syria.

“Those 100 are obviously part of a wider group of people who we’re worried about supporting ISIL,” Justice Minister Michael Keenan told reporters in Canberra, using an acronym for the Islamic State group.

“Because it’s not just money we are concerned about, but other Australians who might be involved such as (in) recruitment.” Australia has been increasingly worried about its nationals travelling to war zones in the Middle East to join militant groups.

The government estimates some 120 Australians are in Iraq and Syria supporting the Islamic State and other terror-linked groups, with another 160 actively supporting extremist organisations at home through financing and recruitment.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2015

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