The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has been strengthening its activities in countering the financing of Terrorism sharing relevant information with top law enforcement authorities but its representation in National Security Council was considered as not required in the recent past
H. A. Karunaratne, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank noted that FIU official attended the previous national Security Council meetings sometimes back and they were not invited for recent meetings.
The FIU was in the National Security Council meetings in the past, but prior to the attack it was not," he said adding that "After the attack, the FIU is in the meetings again".
CID should be able to track quite easily where the funds allocated following FIU reports he said.
“After the attacks, FIU has decided to find new ways and build new relationships with the international community to combat the financing of terrorism, in addition to our existing capacity,” he said
The FIU has conducted many investigations into money laundering and terrorist funding and relevant findings after comprehensive analysis on such cases had been handed over to CID for further investigation and necessary action, Central Bank Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy revealed.
He said that after the attacks, co-operation between the FIU, the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and the Attorney General's Department have been strengthened.
He was responding to a question raised by a journalist on foreign exchange flow to Sri Lanka via illegal channels at the media conference convened to brief monetary policy review in Colombo on Friday 31.
(LI)