Defense Minister Yoav Galant reveals - another step in the economic campaign against Iran: The defense establishment thwarted a terrorist infrastructure of Hezbollah and the Iranian Quds Force, which operated to launder money using digital currencies for the Revolutionary Guards, and confiscated millions of dollars intended for terrorist organizations and transferred to the coffers of the State of Israel.
Defense Minister Yoav Galant spoke at the third crypto conference of the Defense Ministry's Economic Counterterrorism Bureau. In his speech, Galant revealed a precedent-setting activity that he approved several weeks ago for the forfeiture of terrorist funds laundered using digital currencies intended for use by terrorist organizations financed by Iran.
Defense Minister Galant Reveals: Another Step in the Economic Campaign Against Iran and Hezbollah's Terrorist Infrastructure | Nicole Laskeby, Ministry of Defense
Thanks to the exposure of the terrorist network, the defense establishment confiscated millions of dollars earmarked for use by terrorist organizations.
Threats are getting better
"Since its establishment, the State of Israel has been dealing with complex security threats," the minister said. "Over the years and technological changes, the threats are changing and improving. Alongside the constant and uncompromising fight against terrorism, a new battlefield has been added against terrorists and their dispatchers: a struggle against the resources behind terrorism, and in simple words: a struggle against terror funds."
"This is not an easy task, which becomes more complex when it comes to digital currencies," he added. "Anyone who finances terrorism, or maintains financial ties with terrorist operatives, must know that he is a target similar to someone who directs and sends terror."
"In recent months, at the National Economic Counterterrorism Headquarters in the Ministry of Defense, in cooperation with intelligence and law enforcement agencies, we have developed new capabilities that have brought very significant achievements on this battlefront as well."
The funds were earmarked for terrorist organizations, photo: AFP
"I would like to reveal here for the first time that a few days ago, an extensive and precedent-setting operation to expose a route for financing terrorism using digital currencies ended. This is the first incident of this magnitude, in which infrastructure led by Hezbollah and the Iranian Quds Force, which transferred millions of dollars for use by terrorist elements, was thwarted."
"A clear line dating back to Iran"
"Since the beginning of the year, members of Hezbollah, the Quds Force and Syrian elements have used digital currencies to receive funds from third parties, mainly money changers, with whom illegal transactions were carried out, which were used by the terrorist organizations for their ongoing activity. By virtue of my authority as Minister of Defense, I issued an order that enabled the seizure of the funds, their forfeiture and the transfer of the money to the treasury of the State of Israel. In doing so, we have effectively cut off the flow of terror funds along this route."
The minister added: "As can be seen, this time too, behind the terrorist moves there is a clear line that begins in Iran. Iran is the fundraiser, trainer and disseminator of terrorism against Israel and many countries around the world, both directly and through its proxies at the borders."
In conclusion, Galant announced: "We will continue to lead broad national activity to combat the financial infrastructures of terrorist organizations, terrorist operatives and entities involved in financing terrorism."
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