London teenager accused of helping Al Qaeda raise crypto funds: report

A 16-year-old boy from East London is facing multiple terrorism charges for allegedly trying to raise cryptocurrency for Al Qaeda.

Prosecutors say the teenager offered his skills in digital currency and cybersecurity to help the terrorist organization.

The suspect has pleaded not guilty to the charges

The teenager, who cannot be named because of his age, has been charged with raising terrorist funds, training in acts of terrorism and possession of documents containing information potentially useful for terrorism. According to a report in the Standard, the boy has pleaded not guilty to all five charges.

Following the hearing on 30 October at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring referred the case to the Old Bailey, where it will be heard further on 2 November.

The prosecution, led by Lee Ingham, claimed the boy gave “ideological support to Islamic terrorist groups”, specifically Al Qaeda and TTP (the Pakistani Taliban).

Ingham said he allegedly presented himself online as a cryptocurrency and cybersecurity expert, hoping to appeal to terrorist groups and raise funds on their behalf. Court records indicate that roughly $1,300 in crypto was collected.

As part of his bail conditions, the 16-year-old is subject to a curfew, a ban on social media and restrictions on the use of electronic devices. He can only use a laptop for educational purposes and is allowed to use a PlayStation, but he cannot play online with other people or use it for communication.

Use of cryptography by terrorist groups

According to blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis, the majority of crypto-related crimes are related to money laundering, fraud and ransomware, while terrorist financing represents only a small portion of these activities. lawful Despite this, these crimes present significant challenges to regulatory and law enforcement agencies worldwide.

Last year, Israel seized about 40 crypto wallets associated with the Quds Force, an arm of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Hezbollah, a militant group based in Lebanon. This incident was notable as it was the “first incident of this magnitude” carried out by the country at that time.

Chainalysis also described the seizure as one of the first public instances of sophisticated cross-border financing with digital assets. The company explained that this method was different from traditional social media-based donation campaigns and reflected a more calculated use of cryptocurrency by state-sponsored entities.

Last year, Hamas also restructured its digital fundraising methods by switching from Bitcoin to the Tron blockchain, taking advantage of the latter’s faster and more cost-effective transaction processing.

Although pressure from law enforcement had caused Hamas to abandon its previous Bitcoin donation channels, the group’s shift to an alternative network shows the lengths to which these terrorist groups will go to evade regulatory scrutiny.

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