March 29, 2010, Wilmington, Del. – Continuing its mission to protect financial institutions and companies worldwide against terrorism, drug trafficking and fraud, RDC, the global leader in risk intelligence, gave early warning to its clients about a terrorist figure. The lead time gave RDC clients an edge in understanding the risk of conducting business with al-Qaida in Iraq (AQI) figure Muthanna Harith al-Dari, who was sanctioned by US and UN authorities on Friday for providing monetary and technological support to the Iraqi insurgency.
Al-Dari, designated as a terrorist by the Treasury Department under Executive Order 13224, was cited for, "providing financial, material, or technological support and financial or other services." Multiple reports in RDC's Global Regulatory Information Database (GRID) highlighted al-Dari’s alleged terrorism support activities in 2005 -- five years before last week’s OFAC sanction. The UN Security Council's 1267 Committee, which targets al-Qaida and the Taliban, added al-Dari to the Consolidated List of entities associated with Osama Bin Ladin as well.
Early warning on terrorism and narcotics trafficking is a hallmark of RDC’s offerings. Years before their US government designation as drug kingpins, Mexican drug traffickers sanctioned just last week were the subject of GRID-supplied early warnings. GRID also chronicled the role of Abd Al Azi Awda at fundraisers tied to a suspected Jihadist cell well ahead of his appearance on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list. Similarly, 2007 GRID data spotlighted a European investigation of a telecommunications provider’s founder, three years prior to this month’s headline news detailing massive fraud in which the founder was alleged to have played a central role.
"Early warning risk intelligence is RDC's stock in trade, so I'm hardly surprised our clients had such lead time." Obermaier added, "Our meticulous coverage of international sources puts relevant but hard-to-find intelligence in our client's hands well before an obscure event erupts into a serious reputational or financial risk. We begin and end each day resolutely committed to putting risk intelligence in customer hands to empower them to make smarter decisions.”
RDC’s GRID™ — the world's largest global public-source risk database — highlights known and suspected criminals, corrupt officials, money launderers, terrorists, narcotics traffickers, Politically Exposed Persons, fraudsters, shell banks, sanctioned entities, and others whose backgrounds are of broad regulatory and reputational interest.
About RDC
RDC, also known as Regulatory Data Corporation, delivers powerful, decision-ready intelligence and world-class risk and compliance protection, allowing global organizations to strengthen fraud protection, ensure regulatory compliance, manage supply and distribution risk, and protect their brand equity. With the world’s largest open source risk-relevant database, RDC provides AML/KYC compliance; Politically Exposed Persons (PEP) protection; emerging market intelligence; corruption, fraud and crime protection; vendor screening and monitoring; and credit risk monitoring to a wide range of clients worldwide. Founded by 20 of the world’s leading financial institutions, today RDC is a Bain Capital and Goldman Sachs portfolio company. For more information, call 888-533-1181 or visit www.rdc.com.
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