| Lest some people use the excuse of not being | | | | world. |
| affected by blood diamonds for being | | | | |
| complacent, we should be reminded that there | | | | How did al-Quaida do this? Bin Laden and his |
| is no such thing as an isolated incident. | | | | cohorts focused their activities in Liberia |
| Everything is interconnected and eventually | | | | which was then led by the infamous Charles |
| at some point, repercussions will affect | | | | Taylor. blood diamonds mined in Sierra Leone |
| everyone. Even if this were not to happen, | | | | and other African countries more often than |
| being unaffected by a horrifying activity is | | | | not found their way into Liberia, where |
| not an excuse for not doing anything to help | | | | anyone could do almost anything as long as he |
| when you have the power to do so. It is | | | | had connections with Taylor. Money and arms |
| simply not acceptable. Still, for the | | | | were the players here, and the plight of the |
| hardhearted, these findings may stir up some | | | | people did not count one bit. |
| life in you. | | | | |
| | | | Al-Quaida was not alone in using blood |
| Right after the unbelievable attacks in New | | | | diamonds to fund their terrorist activities. |
| York by the terrorist group al-Quaida, | | | | The now household name Hezbollah was also |
| countless probes and intelligence activities | | | | known to have raised funds through blood |
| were launched. The American nation was united | | | | diamonds. Reports showed that Hezbollah made |
| in their effort to find out how this | | | | use of the countless Lebanese in Africa to |
| happened. The international community was | | | | carry out their activities. Even Israel |
| aghast and did what they could do to lend a | | | | realized this and tried to shut down Lebanese |
| helping hand. No one could believe that such | | | | networks in Sierra Leone. |
| a thing could happen in American soil. Yet | | | | |
| happen it did. | | | | Aside from these well-known terrorist groups, |
| | | | there are numerous big time criminals who |
| Who would have thought, though, that blood | | | | operated in Liberia, exchanging weapons for |
| diamonds were part of al-Quaida’s | | | | diamonds. Victor Bout was one of them, one of |
| activities. Initial reports showed that prior | | | | the worst illegal arms dealers. Then there |
| to the September 11 attacks, the terrorist | | | | was Lenoid Menin of a Russian crime family. |
| group was able to convert about $10 million | | | | |
| into diamonds. This was crucial to their | | | | These people are in it for only one thing |
| terrorist activities as after their attacks | | | | – money. As others are suffering and |
| on US Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and | | | | dying, we simply cannot look away and pretend |
| Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania in 1998, the | | | | that nothing has happened or that nothing is |
| al-Quaida’s assets were frozen by the | | | | happening at present. We cannot say that it |
| Clinton administration. That reportedly | | | | is none of our business. It is |
| amounted to about $240 million. Yet despite | | | | everybody’s business! Atrocities happen |
| this, the al-Quaida was able to have enough | | | | only because the rest of the world chooses to |
| funds to carry out one of the largest | | | | avert its eyes. |
| terrorist attacks in the history of the | | | | |