ABSTRACT
A June 2004 article in the Financial Times described a frightening new situation in the global war on terror. Osama Bin Laden’s organization, al-Qaeda, now cut off from its legitimate sources of funding by the American war on terror, has turned to financing its movement through narcotics sales. This source of income brings the group in touch with the black market arms industry, a fact made clear on 3 March 2004, when Ilyas Ali and Muhammed Abid Afridi pleaded guilty to terrorism, drug trafficking and arms sales in a San Diego court. The men were caught trying to exchange heroin for stinger missiles. 2
