Abstract

Why are terrorist organizations shifting away from state sponsorship and towards criminal organizations as a source of revenue? I argue that a decline in state sponsorship leads to an increase in the crime–terror nexus. This paper first discusses the reliance of terrorist organizations on state sponsorship to fulfill monetary needs. However, a decline in state sponsorship has occurred due to intensified international counterterrorism efforts, the imposition of sanctions, and a lack of willing state sponsors. This forced terrorists to instead rely on criminal organizations to obtain funds. One hypothesis of this paper is that the decline of state sponsorship is more likely to occur when international sanctions are placed. The second hypothesis is that age of criminal organizations and presence of a failed state are two factors that are likely to increase the potential of a partnership between criminal and terrorist organizations. The methodology section outlines the operationalization and definition of each variable and important concepts. It then discusses the three cases: Hezbollah in Latin America, the Japanese Red Army sponsored by North Korea, and al-Shabaab in Somalia for comparative analysis. The final chapter discusses each case through an analytical lens. Despite international sanctions, Iran's sponsorship of Hezbollah remains relatively stable, suggesting Iran's outsider status in the international system lessened the impact of sanctions. However, North Korea's sponsorship of the Japanese Red Army dwindled under the threat of sanctions, reflecting a state's response to international pressure. Therefore, the age of criminal organizations appears to influence the likelihood of engaging with terrorist groups. Additionally, failed states, such as Somalia, may inadvertently sponsor terrorism due to their inability to control terrorist organizations such as, al-Shabaab, leading to a partnership with criminal organizations like pirate groups operating the Gulf of Aden.

Advisor

Krain, Matthew

Department

Political Science

Disciplines

International Relations

Keywords

international terrorism, criminal organizations, state sponsorship

Publication Date

2024

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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