TERRORISM AND ORGANIZED CRIME: THREATS TO NATIONAL SECURITY OF CENTRAL ASIA

Especially after the end of the Cold War organized criminal activities have become a major revenue source for terrorist groups worldwide. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Central Asian countries faced the problem of organized crime and terrorist activities because of the weakness of the states. As a result in 2000, the five Central Asian countries endorsed a document that would considerably strengthen coordinated efforts to combat the scourge of drug trafficking, organized crime and terrorism. The Central Asian countries have been criticized for adopting a selective approach to implementing Anti Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism legislations. However, in recent years important improvements have been made. Since 2008 all five Central Asian countries have ratified the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, the International Convention for Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, and the United Nations Convention against Corruption. Financial Action task Force removed Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan from the black list. This paper analyzes the relationship between organized crime and terrorism in Central Asia. İt also explores the projected spillover effect on Central Asia after the NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2014.

TERRORISM AND ORGANIZED CRIME: THREATS TO NATIONAL SECURITY OF CENTRAL ASIA

Especially after the end of the Cold War organized criminal activities have become a major revenue source for terrorist groups worldwide. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Central Asian countries faced the problem of organized crime and terrorist activities because of the weakness of the states. As a result in 2000, the five Central Asian countries endorsed a document that would considerably strengthen coordinated efforts to combat the scourge of drug trafficking, organized crime and terrorism. The Central Asian countries have been criticized for adopting a selective approach to implementing Anti Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism legislations. However, in recent years important improvements have been made. Since 2008 all five Central Asian countries have ratified the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, the International Convention for Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, and the United Nations Convention against Corruption. Financial Action task Force removed Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan from the black list. This paper analyzes the relationship between organized crime and terrorism in Central Asia. İt also explores the projected spillover effect on Central Asia after the NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2014.

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