The Persian Launderette: Money laundering in the UAE

  In recent months Las Vegans have heard more about Dubai World, the
investment arm of one of the seven states that make up the United Arab Emirates, and its tight financial
relationship with MGM Mirage’s CityCenter project.

  You’ll never guess who else has connections inside the UAE: Al Qaida.

  Writes Sala Uddin Shoaib Choudhury in his American Chronicle blog:
“In June 2002, Al Qaida wrote a letter to the government of United
Arab Emirates [UAE] stating that the government was well aware of the
fact that Al Qaida infiltrated inside UAE´s security, censorship and
monetary agencies. ...

  “Money-laundering in the financial Mecca of the
Persian Gulf has been virtually uncontrollable. The US government's
case against Zacarias Moussaoui documented how money to finance the
attacks of September 11, 2001, was laundered through the UAE. During
the mid- to late 1990s, the air path from the UAE to Kandahar was
crammed with private jets taking Arab notables on falcon-hunting trips
in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Frequent fliers included UAE and
Saudi rulers — the UAE and Saudi Arabia, along with Pakistan, were the
only countries that recognized and maintained normal relations with
the Taliban regime. Return flights laundered Taliban and al-Qaida
operatives.”

  Not that anyone in authority in Las Vegas or Nevada has any interest
in raising so much as an eyebrow about the business methods that are
common practice in the UAE. No, that would be unthinkable.

  Choudhury writes, “Despite the tremendous economic growth and under
the blanket of a rather free society with pub, nightclub and girls on
call, United Arab Emirates has become one of the major avenues for
terrorists as well as Al Qaida in making investments in several hidden
or semi-exposed projects thus cashing millions of dollars.”