from the never-received-their-merchandise dept.
Islamic State allegedly used PayPal and fake eBay transactions to channel money to an operative in the US, The Wall Street Journal reports. The man who allegedly received the money was American citizen Mohamed Elshinawy, who was arrested last year in Maryland. The FBI claims that Elshinawy, in his early 30s, sold computer printers on eBay as a front in order to receive the payments through PayPal.
The details have come to light because of a recently unsealed FBI affidavit, which alleges Elshinawy was part of a worldwide network that used such channels to fund ISIS. Elshinawy received $8,700 from ISIS, including five PayPal payments from senior ISIS official Siful Sujan through his technology company. Those funds were used to buy a laptop, a cellphone, and a VPN to communicate with IS, according to the affidavit. Sujan was killed in a drone strike in 2015.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/11/16130154/islamic-state-ebay-paypal-money-us
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 14 2017, @12:14PM
Mohamed: Mohamed, I'd very much like to introduce you to a good friend of mine.
Mohamed: Okay
Mohamed: Here he is, his name is Mohamed!
Mohamed: (chuckles) Ah, ha! I like that name.
Mohamed: Me too!
[three men hug together]
Mohamed: You goin to the black cube dance party this year in MECCA?
Mohamed: No, I had too many bad experiences with the Mohamed's there.
Mohamed: I know, [laughing] I know.
Mohamed: THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE!
Mohamed: You're so cute, Mohamed.
Mohamed: [swoons] I want to give you a kiss.
Mohamed: Why not kiss together? It's beautiful!
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 14 2017, @12:41PM (1 child)
It's a bad idea to use PayPal, which is notorious for freezing your account for no reason and indefinitely.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 14 2017, @12:50PM
Link is paywalled at WSJ, I think I found the same text here?
https://grassfire.com/islamic-state-global-financial-network-discovered-on-ebay-feds-alleged-jihadists-used-fake-listing-to-fund-terror-attacks/ [grassfire.com]
If the amounts discussed are correct, it looks like these operations are being run on a shoestring...
(Score: 2, Touché) by Thexalon on Monday August 14 2017, @01:03PM (8 children)
Did you know that TERRORISTS can get laptops and cell phones? Why, that's all they need to ATTACK AMERICA! If we don't stop TERRORISTS from having laptops and cell phones, no one is safe!
Oh, and sir, here's that truckload of ammonium nitrate you ordered. And that's a nice AR-15 you have.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 14 2017, @01:50PM
Indeed, my first though was, "OMG $8k! That's enough for half a deck!"
Admittedly, I did just put a deck in, so paying for it is on my mind.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 14 2017, @01:57PM (6 children)
Oh, and sir, here's that truckload of ammonium nitrate you ordered. And that's a nice bible, american flag, rebel flag, budweiser, football paraphernalia, backwards ball cap, sports shades, sleeveless t shirt, shorts, goatee or other stupid looking facial hair, lack of education, diesel pickup with 12 inch lift, giant tires, truck nuts, rebel flag with coal roll mods, tiny cock, and AR-15 you have. FTFY
(Score: 0, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 14 2017, @02:03PM (2 children)
Nice. You missed out the #MAGA T-Shirt though.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Monday August 14 2017, @04:59PM (1 child)
The T-shirt is hidden by the long white robe. I'm not sure why the baseball cap was listed, considering it doesn't fit under the pointy hood.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 15 2017, @06:13AM
Obviously, the baseball cap was on the pointy hood.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Thexalon on Monday August 14 2017, @02:31PM (2 children)
I wasn't going there, but yes, anybody who doesn't think white rednecks can't be terrorists obviously know nothing about Timothy McVeigh.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 2) by PinkyGigglebrain on Monday August 14 2017, @04:48PM (1 child)
"Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."
(Score: 2) by Thexalon on Monday August 14 2017, @05:14PM
My primary source of thinking on McVeigh comes from Gore Vidal [vanityfair.com], who wrote back and forth with McVeigh regularly while McVeigh was on death row and apparently became close enough that he was present at McVeigh's execution.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 3, Touché) by RamiK on Monday August 14 2017, @01:28PM (1 child)
But I think we can all agree charging $8,700 for a laptop, cellphone and a VPN was the real crime.
compiling...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 14 2017, @02:00PM
Well, A macbook pro and iphone arent exactly cheap.
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Monday August 14 2017, @01:29PM
The US sends the merchandise to them over the same channels. I wonder if they get free shipping for such big orders.
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Monday August 14 2017, @03:13PM
"Well, GOOOLLLLEEEE! Whoda thunk the TERRISTS could use online banking like regular people!!! Surprise, surprise, surprise!"
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 14 2017, @04:55PM
...is that ISIS funded Paypal and Ebay.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 14 2017, @08:12PM
Considering that McCain had a meeting with the head of ISIS [youtube.com] I wonder who the terrorists are really paying.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 15 2017, @02:42AM (1 child)
I ask the question in all seriousness. I have noticed for many years of stuff being offered for sale at clearly rip-off prices, on eBay, Amazon Marketplace, etc. I can't imagine that some people are so out of touch that they list their stuff for prices that nobody will ever pay, so I'm left wondering if these sticker-shock items are really just a way to move money around or money laundering. Am I underestimating human stupidity or is this a thing that everybody knows except me?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 15 2017, @06:31AM
Whenever you ask yourself that question, the answer is YES.