John Baron MP questions Defence Secretary on Daesh finances

MP says more work needed to curb Daesh funding

Yesterday the Secretary of State for Defence, Rt Hon Michael Fallon MP, gave a statement in the House of Commons on the Government’s strategy against Daesh, as part of its commitment to give quarterly updates to Parliament as to its campaign against the organisation. John Baron MP questioned the Secretary of State about the Government’s efforts to curtail Daesh’s financing, as he is currently chairing a sub-enquiry of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee into this area.

John asked,

“Daesh remains the best funded terrorist group in history, despite the fall in the oil price. How confident, therefore, is the Secretary of State that Daesh can no longer access the financial infrastructure and resources of the Iraqi state, given that the Foreign Affairs Committee is still waiting for answers from the Iraqi banking authorities as to Daesh’s ability to make a turn on the state’s currency markets?”

The Secretary of State replied that the Government is working on this area, and is making progress in restricting Daesh’s financial support.

John said afterwards,

“Though action by the International Coalition has reduced its resources, Daesh remains flush with cash. Much more work needs to be done to starve this organisation of funds, but it will not ultimately be defeated until local ground forces step in to deprive it of territory.”