Terrorism is not a new phenomenon and continues to pose a serious threat to our security, to the values of our democratic societies and to the rights and freedoms of citizens. It can, in certain instances, also undermine economic development and financial market stability.
A key requirement for terrorists to operate is money, with many professionals often arguing that it is the very lifeblood of terrorism. Without funding, terrorists simply cannot purchase the required weapons, equipment, supplies, or services. As with terrorism, terrorist financing does not recognise borders.
The presentation will go through the salient definitions and provide a comprehensive review of the characteristics and mechanisms relating to the funding of terrorism. The preventative measures that need to be in place by Subject Persons will also be outlined, together with possible indicators of terrorist financing.
The presentation will also outline the salient parts of the revised FIAU Guidance Document dealing with emerging trends, typologies and red flags. It will, additionally, also highlight the main findings of the National Risk Assessment that was issued in December 2023.
The Speaker
Antonio Ghirlando is a seasoned compliance specialist with a specific focus on financial crime compliance, including the prevention of money laundering, countering the funding of terrorism, combatting proliferation finance, sanctions, anti-bribery & corruption, and fraud. He is also well versed in other regulatory compliance obligations.
Antonio is actively involved in the provision of real-time operational support, specialist advice, intuitive guidance and training to several businesses seeking to ensure ongoing compliance with their regulatory obligations. He also assists Money Laundering Reporting Officers (MLROs) and Compliance Officers with their day-to-day tasks and oversight.
During his career he has worked with various licensed entities in both the financial and non-financial sectors, having served as the Head of Compliance, Head of Financial Crime Compliance, Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) and Data Protection Officer (DPO). He also headed the Compliance and Legal & International Sections of the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU) and served as the Secretary General of the Malta Bankers’ Association (MBA).
Antonio has been involved in several local and international committees, and has also presented numerous papers at various workshops, seminars, conferences and training events. Antonio is a graduate of the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.