The Palestinian terrorist group Hamas is begging for more bitcoin donations from supporters to fund its Islamist terrorism around the world.
Last week, Hamas released a new video urging supporters to send bitcoin to finance the group, whose funds have dwindled in recent months.
Hamas Thinks It Can Use Bitcoin to Hide Funding
Yaya Fanusie, a former CIA analyst, made the revelation on Forbes. Fanusie says Hamas has gotten more knowledgeable about crypto as it searches for new ways to bankroll its terrorist activities.
“The sleek Hamas video is in Arabic with English subtitles and recommends ways for acquiring and sending bitcoin while reducing the chance of being discovered.”
“Hamas previously told donors to send all funds to a specific Bitcoin address, but the group’s website now generates unique addresses for each site visitor.”
“This method will make it harder for authorities to identify and track donations, and shows that Hamas is more careful about cryptocurrency operational security.”
Hamas Begged for Bitcoin In January
The latest video is a follow-up to a video Hamas had posted in January 2019, when it solicited bitcoin donations.
That crowdfunding effort reportedly raised a meager $2,500.
Palestinian terrorist group Hamas begs for bitcoin donations due to harsh US/Israeli economic sanctions.
The terrorist network is largely funded by Iran, which is also suffering from US economic sanctions.
“There was no immediate reply from Bitcoin."https://t.co/ztUKxFVZDP
— Samantha Chang (@samantha_chang) January 30, 2019
Hamas has been suffering financially after the Palestinian National Authority ― the interim body that governs the West Bank and the Gaza Strip ― cut off much of its funding to the Strip.
Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamist network that is largely funded by Iran. However, Iran is itself in the midst of a financial crisis due to harsh US economic sanctions that have crippled its economy.
Iran is also reportedly considering launching its own cryptocurrency after President Donald Trump imposed a new wave of sanctions in November 2018.
Crypto Has An Image Problem
There’s widespread belief among the general public that cryptocurrencies are mainly used for criminal activity like money-laundering, tax evasion, and terrorism financing.
This negative perception has not been helped by admissions from bitcoin advocates like John McAfee that he hasn’t filed a tax return in eight years.
However, there are many Americans who agree with McAfee that “taxation is theft” and that big government is the problem — not the solution.
We declared our independence from Britain and fought a bloody war to escape burdensome taxes, yet here we are, less than 250 years later, being burdened by income taxes that are more crushing than anythung rhe British dreamed of. Free yourselves people!https://t.co/mYy6z06tHc
— John McAfee (@officialmcafee) January 4, 2019
Bitcoin Bull John McAfee Is Running for President
Accordingly, few in the crypto community were surprised when John McAfee facetiously announced that he’s running for U.S. president in 2020.
And unlike his political rivals, McAfee has a bold, unusual slogan: “Don’t vote McAfee.”
Indeed, the software pioneer says his goal is to spawn a populist, anti-government revolution and to promote decentralized cryptocurrencies.
“My campaign platform contains one item: how do we free ourselves from a government that no longer serves us, but instead has become our master – controlling our every action, down to the detail of what we may or may not put into our bodies and minds,” McAfee said.
Great F—ing article about my campaign. Rare. The media usualy snorts my dirty underwear or rummages through my garbage to get a story. Have no idea where this came from.https://t.co/OKVuXETP11
— John McAfee (@officialmcafee) January 30, 2019
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