Terrorists trading on commodities market

Haven't they heard that the cattle futures market pays better?

Anyway, great background piece in the WSJ on new developments in terror financing:

Here's how the practice works: Instead of wiring money directly from one country to another, a would-be money launderer buys foodstuffs like sugar or vegetable oil or other goods. Those goods are far easier to deliver to restricted destinations like Iran and the Palestinian territories because they often look like legitimate aid. When they arrive, local merchants transfer the goods on, or simply sell them for cash. A portion of the proceeds end up with local terrorist groups or criminals. ...

One such case recently surfaced in Europe when French authorities discovered that a Paris-based charity the U.S. officially designates as a sponsor of terrorism has been buying large lots of commodities for delivery to the Palestinian territories. While much of the goods constitute legitimate aid, a portion of the shipments ultimately ends up with terror groups, officials allege.

Funds for the original goods purchases by money launderers increasingly come from Iran, Israeli officials say. Some of the funds and goods allegedly end up with Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas. Both groups are seeking to disrupt the Palestinian peace process with Israel and often sponsor terrorist attacks.