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Second Report of the Monitoring Group,


pursuant to Security Council Resolution 1390 (2002)

Executive Summary Z.C~Z A

The Monitoring Group, established by Security Council resolution 1390 (2002) is


charged with monitoring, reporting and making recommendations concerning the measures that
the Security Council decided States shall take against Usama Bin Laden, Al-Qa'ida, the Taliban,
and associated individuals and entities. These measures comprise an assets freeze, a travel ban,
and an arms embargo. This is the second report prepared by the Group under this mandate. It
builds upon previous research and analysis, and provides an update of the recent activities and
findings of the Group, along with recommendations concerning improvements to the
implementation of resolution 1390.

Despite having lost its physical base and sanctuary in Afghanistan, Al-Qa'ida continues
to pose a significant threat to international peace and security. It has developed operational links
with militant Islamic groups in Europe, North America, North Africa, the Middle East and Asia,
and is still able to work with, or from within, these groups to recruit new members and to plan
and launch future terrorist attacks. The terrorist organization's diffuse leadership, loose
structure, and absence of centralized command and control make it hard to detect or eradicate.

After the "September 11" attacks, the international community joined in an


unprecedented effort to combat terrorism, and to track down and bring to justice bin Laden, Al-
Qa'ida and the Taliban. Hundreds of Al-Qa'ida and Taliban operatives were detained, and many
more were sought and identified. Only a few of these individuals and entities were actually
included in the United Nation's List (the 'List') of designated persons targeted by the resolution
1390 measures. Rather, numerous national lists were created and circulated bilaterally. These
lists are being used and applied by States unevenly, and this has seriously diminished their
effectiveness as a control measure. This report recommends that much greater use be made of
the UN List as a unified, authoritative and key control document, which places obligations on all
States.

Despite initial successes in locating and freezing some USS1 12 million in assets
belonging to Al-Qa'ida and its associates, Al-Qa'ida continues to have access to considerable
financial and other economic resources. Since the adoption of the resolution only about US$10
million in additional assets has been frozen. Government officials have indicated that it has
proved exceedingly difficult to identify these additional Al-Qa'ida-related funds and resources.
This task is further complicated by the lack of sufficient identifying information concerning
persons on the UN List, as well as by the stringent evidentiary requirements necessary to obtain
judicial approval for such actions. The Group recommends that steps be taken to increase
intelligence and information sharing between States relevant to this issue.

According to information provided to the Group by government officials and other


sources, financial support continues to be available to Al-Qa'ida from bin Laden's own personal
inheritance and investments, from members and supporters of Al-Qa'ida, and from contributions
obtained, or diverted from charitable organizations. The funds collected and disbursed by a
number of Islamic based charities is proving particularly difficult for governments to monitor
and regulate. States should exercise greater surveillance over the operations of charities and the

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