In some Middle Eastern countries, the system is permitted. In Europe, it is illegal. On Thursday, the largest hawala ring discovered in Europe, involving six Palestinians, including four established in Belgium, was judged. According to calculations by the federal prosecutor’s office, 100,000 euros passed through this Belgian link every week.
With hawala, the customer, who wants to send money to a distant acquaintance, gives the cash to the nearest hawala agent, who then speaks with his correspondent in the recipient’s region. All he has to do is go to this second agent who gives him the same amount. Agents take a commission. They will perform clearing trades after a series of trades.
“We no longer see this level of organization much in terrorism”
Trust, trust
Everything is based on trust. There is no writing. This makes it a popular system for criminals and terrorists. It was following terrorist financing investigations that the Belgian branch of this hawala network was discovered. On three occasions in 2019, the network was used to send money to Western women incarcerated in Al-Hol, this camp managed by Syrian Kurds where women and their children captured after the fall of the state are locked up. Islamic.
During a furtive meeting, considerable sums of money changed hands without a word.
Observations and listening were carried out. The police noted furtive exchanges in building lobbies in Schaerbeek. After a brief call in the street to specify the exact number of the building, two men met and an envelope changed hands, without a word.
The sums could amount to several hundred thousand euros or dollars. The highest transfer – to Dubai – was 800,000 euros. Agent commission ranged from 1% to 6.8%. In order for the money to end up in the right hand, a photo of a 5 euro note with its clearly visible serial number was sent to the recipient who could thus show credentials to the agent who gave him the cash.
In Belgium, threats linked to terrorism and extremism increased by 41% in 2023
In the phone of the main defendant, Husam A., 31, 6,000 photos of tickets and 6,000 photos of identity cards were discovered. He was part of a WhatsApp channel, entitled “The traders of greater Europe” on which 532 agents were found. Five years in prison were requested against him. The others face sentences of between 2 and 5 years. Mr. Guerra also requested the confiscation of 4.22 million euros.
Me Nathalie Gallant, lawyer for Husam A., rejects the prevention of terrorist financing. She does not deny money laundering on the part of her client but she believes that the federal prosecutor’s office wants to make him a suit that is too big. Her family, she noted, has been active for 40 years in hawala, authorized in Gaza where he comes from. And, given his young age, he could only be at the bottom of the ladder. The other defenses plead Friday.
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