VIDEO: Bennet questions terrorism appointee Cohen on effect of bin Laden death

Just days after American Forces launched a targeted assault that killed Osama Bin Laden, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet asked nominees for counterterrorism posts in the Obama Administration how Bin Laden’s death would affect the flow of financing to terrorist groups like Al Qaeda and how terrorist network overlap might complicate U.S. efforts to squeeze terrorist fundraising capacity.

In a question to David S. Cohen, nominee to be under secretary for terrorism and financial crimes at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bennet remarked, “You had said that you had some success interrupting the financial networks that support Al Qaeda and I wonder if you could describe… the effect that Osama Bin Laden’s death might have on that financing if any…”

On the question of whether Bin Laden’s death will disrupt future financing, Cohen said that although the development represents a step in the right direction, it’s “by no means an end of the road.” Cohen also said that significant terrorist network overlap does exist and requires a more comprehensive approach to counteract financing for various terrorist factions.

Scot Kersgaard has been managing editor of a political newspaper, editor and co-owner of a ski town newspaper, executive editor of eight high-tech magazines (where he worked with current Apple CEO Tim Cook), deputy press secretary to a U.S. Senator, and an outdoors columnist at the Rocky Mountain News. He has an English degree from the University of Washington. He was awarded a fellowship to study internet journalism at the University of Maryland's Knight Center for Specialized Journalism. He was student body president in college. He spends his free time hiking and skiing.

Comments are closed.