Administrative Versus Operational Measures Discussion Responses
Review the article Criminal Investigation Responds to Terrorism and discuss the involvement of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in counterterrorism efforts. How does the IRS support counterterrorism practitioners through information sharing and the use of alternative sanctions? Explain the type of situation in which the sanctions implemented by the IRS may be more suitable than force.
In response to your peers, identify possible tactics that terrorists can use to circumvent the IRS sanctions proposed.
Refer to the Discussion Rubric for directions on completing this discussion.
Textbook: Counterterrorism, Chapters 8 and 10
Chapter 8 will explore informants, undercover agents, specifics on obtaining information through interrogation and torture, and the considerations of using various tactics.
Chapter 10 explains various punishments, such as diplomatic and economic sanctions, that are in place for suspected terrorist activity, sanctions that are available by other government agencies, individual punishment, and avoidance tactics utilized by terrorists.
Website: Criminal Investigation Responds to Terrorism
This website provides an overview of the type of counterterrorism operations in which the IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) is involved.
Article: Financing Terror Bit by Bit (Optional)
This article showcases the use of the bitcoin to circumvent investigative methods used by law enforcement. Terrorists use of bitcoin or other virtual currency may be used to circumvent detection and tracking methods utilized by law enforcement.
To acess textbook
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Peer post 1
Hello class,
Before reading this article, I never realized the role that the IRS plays in combating terrorism. The IRS’s involvement in counterterrorism efforts include tracking “leadership and members of extremist groups who have committed tax evasion, money laundering, or currency violations, persons engaged in fundraising activities to support terrorism, and terrorism investigations involving complex, extensive or convoluted financial transactions” (IRS, 2017). The IRS also works closely with the FBI to focus on financial leads, conduct witness interviews, participate in “jump teams” sent to the Middle East, Europe, and the Caribbean to conduct investigations, and analyze financial data (IRS, 2017).
The IRS coordinates with many departments and agencies to combat terrorism, including the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). In 2017, the OFAC used sanctions to block approximately $199 million from three designated state sponsors of terrorism (Iran, Syria, and North Korea), and approximately $44 million from multiple international terrorist organizations (U.S. Department of the Treasury, 2019). Sanctions can help expose and isolate terrorist and their organizations, help protect the international financial system, and can assist or compliment law enforcement actions.
Thanks,
Tiffany
References
IRS (2017). Criminal Investigation Responds to Terrorism. IRS. Retrieved at https://web.archive.org/web/20170517025326/http://www.irs.gov/uac/criminal-investigation-responds-to-terrorism
U.S. Department of the Treasury (2019). Counter Terrorism Sanctions. U.S. Department of the Treasury.Retrieved at https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/santions/programs/pages/terror.aspx
Peer post 2
Good Morning Class,
The IRS plays a unique role in counter terrorism techniques. Through advanced analytical technology they are able to leverage valuable income tax data to proactively identify potential patterns and perpetrators that use tax exemptions to fund terrorist activities (“Criminal Investigation Responds to Terrorism,” 2017). The IRS works alongside other agencies and tasks forces aimed to track and halt terrorist activities. Even though the FBI is the lead domestic terrorism agency in the U.S. the IRS supplements their investigations. The IRS helped immensely in a recent case investigated by the Nevada Joint Terrorism Task Force, who arrested four members of an anti-government group on federal money laundering, tax evasion, and weapons charges (“Criminal Investigation Responds to Terrorism,” 2017). IRS special agents are the experts at following financial transactions and analyzing key pieces of detailed financial information which assists FBI investigations with figuring out who is funding terrorist operations. Putting sanctions on these organizations or people can cut off the supply of money to terrorist organizations which will slow down their operations.
Some situations which sanctions implemented by the IRS are more suitable than force include when large organizations based overseas are secretly funding terrorist organizations or supplying them with weapons and supplies. Knowing that the FBI and IRS are tracking their financial information will help them cease their operations wi
