Al-Qaeda undimmed by sanctions (BBC Gets Advance Look At UN Report)

[Khephra]

A UN report on sanctions against the Taleban and al-Qaeda - due out formally on Monday but seen by the BBC - claims that sanctions and other measures taken by the UN have so far "achieved less than was hoped" and have had only "limited impact".

Immediately after the 11 September attacks, the money trail attracted a lot of attention as the US tried to gain global co-operation to choke supplies of cash that were thought to be going to al-Qaeda.

The UN report confirms what many involved in counter-terrorism have increasingly come to believe - that, whilst they have their uses, sanctions and other attempts to stem the flow of money into al-Qaeda are not necessarily the most effective way of preventing future attacks.

For instance, no nation has reported blocking an arms sale or preventing travel to anyone on the UN list.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3606384.stm