Featured Facutly: Jimmy Gurulé
Author of “Unfunding Terror”
When terrorists attacked the United States on September 11, 2001, Professor Jimmy Gurulé was four weeks into his new position as Under Secretary for Enforcement at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. An expert in the financing of terrorism and on a leave of absence from the Law School, Gurulé found himself in the eye of a storm, responding to unprecedented events in our country’s history. In the aftermath of the attacks, he became the government’s point person for freezing the assets of al Qaeda and affiliated terrorist groups.
“At the time, the government’s response was reactionary, without the benefit of a lot of time to debate and discuss,” says Gurulé.
With that perspective comes the release of Gurulé’s book examining the legal regime that evolved following the 2001 attacks. “Unfunding Terror” discusses and evaluates the principal components of the legal strategy to disrupt the financing of terrorism. Gurulé’s opinion is that the legal response has met with mixed results, despite a great deal of political rhetoric devoted to bankrupting terrorist groups.
“One concern I have now is that the sense of urgency has subsided,” he said. “How can we re-engage the international community and make a more compelling case about the value of going after the money?”
He offers several recommendations to enhance the U.S. government’s efforts to deprive terrorists of funding, including the development and implementation of a National Counter-Terrorist Financing Strategy.
“No such strategy exists today,” writes Gurulé. “Despite declarations to the contrary, counter-terrorist financing is not a major U.S. government priority in the global conflict against terrorist organizations.”
Another disappointment to Gurulé is the lack of major criminal prosecutions or convictions of terrorist financers. Of the cases the U.S. Department of Justice has brought against suspected financers, it has lost all but one.
As a new presidential administration begins its work, Gurulé plans to send copies of his book to incoming officials in the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice.
“The publication of the book is timely,” he says. “I’m hopeful that some of what I’ve written will help guide the new Administration.”
“Unfunding Terror” book signing and discussion at Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore Wednesday, February 18 at 7 p.m.
For more information about Professor Gurulé, visit his faculty profile page.
