Follow The Money: How London Became an Oligarchs Paradise

Protestors Demonstrating at an Oligarch Property

Since the 1990s, London has been a playground for the oligarchs of Russia. The city offered them the perfect place to hide, launder, and spend their money. The cycle of wealthy Russians coming to London and using the city to launder their wealth was a process that would never end. The Russia-Ukraine conflict and subsequent sanctions against Russia pushed this process to the forefront of British media. Sanctions were being skirted by the oligarchs in London. This left many asking - why London over any other European city? What made the city the perfect place for oligarchs to hide their money?

London's position as the most affluent and most populous city in the UK makes it ideal for oligarchs. London offers oligarchs plenty of avenues for investment, one of the most abused being the booming real estate markets. London's real estate sector is easily exploited, with oligarchs able to carry out a few tricks to maximize their financial activity. It is to be assumed that London's most famous neighborhoods, like Knightsbridge and Kensington, are to have some of the most expensive homes in the country. Oligarchs take real estate investment to the next level; instead of simply 'flipping homes' in the conventional sense, they use unique methods to maximize their investments and skirt regulations. For instance, oligarchs will purchase multi-million-pound homes and list them as a second address, even though they will only visit the property maybe once or twice a year. This phenomenon might sound quite innocent, but the mass of property that oligarchs and other foreign business people buy often leaves entire streets empty for ninety-nine percent of the year. Collectively, in London, nearly 22,000 empty homes go unused for most of the year. Another way in which oligarchs take advantage of London's real estate is through the creation of iceberg houses. These are homes that look like ordinary two or three-story houses but have vast basements that span thousands of feet. This means that on paper, you aren't getting a simple London townhouse, but a massive building with huge square footage, therefore boosting the price through the ceiling. The real estate market is also extremely attractive to oligarchs because of Britain's historic non-domicile tax status, which allows a person with their primary home outside of the UK to avoid paying taxes if they have subsequent homes within the UK.

An Architectural Drawing of an Iceberg Home

These methods allow oligarchs and other shady businesses to dump billions into London's real estate market. In fact, it is estimated that Russian oligarchs have pumped £1.5 billion into London's skyline. Once that dirty money has purchased a building, a mansion, a street, or even, sometimes, entire apartment blocks, it is protected diligently by London's regulations and laws. This is what makes London so attractive—it protects those who invest in the city. With this protection comes troves of agents who do their best to avoid regulation and protect dodgy investors, like the oligarchs of Russia. This backbone that supports oligarchs doesn't just pertain to shady businesses but also to legitimate, respected institutions. Oligarchs have access to more power and, therefore, use their connections to bolster their laundering and money-moving operations.

One such oligarch who brought his billions to the UK was Dmitry Firtash. Firtash made billions when he brokered oil and gas deals between Russia and Ukraine. Firtash didn't just spend massively in London, buying an entire block of houses in Brompton, but also found support in some of the most prestigious social circles in the country. Firtash attended multiple gatherings with serving MPs and even met with the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen's husband. Firtash's most notable contribution was to the University of Cambridge, which established an entire course about Ukraine Studies in his honor. He was so deeply ingrained with British political institutions that the Department of Defense, the previous owners of the Brompton buildings, allowed Firtash to only pay a third of the amount upfront, giving him an initial discount of over £40 million. In other countries, this kind of attitude toward foreign billionaires is seen as corruption, something Firtash found out first-hand as he is now wanted by the US for that crime. In London, billionaires are treasured, looked after, and protected to the point where they can escape money laundering laws. England has 'Unexplained Wealth Laws' that allow for the origins of the wealth of a targeted person to be revealed if investigated; however, such a law is rarely used when it comes to shady foreign billionaires.

Not only do social and political institutions of London support oligarchs, but the economic and legal systems do too. Oligarchs simply receive better and superior treatment from numerous legal services, even before they begin embedding themselves in London. A popular example of this was the UK's Visa system. The UK's Tier 1 Visa used to offer permanent residency within the country to anyone who could afford it. No checks, no balances; it is a commodity to be purchased. This not only means that oligarchs can skip the necessary immigration checks ordinary people have to go through, but the Tier 1 privilege extended to businesses too. Unlike in Europe, where strict business and financial laws have to be upheld when looking at potential citizens, the UK's Tier 1 Visa meant that these checks were simply overlooked, allowing shady oligarchs to bring their dealings and money into the country. The strict legal system also protects oligarchs from getting accused of being serial money launderers. There have been multiple instances where oligarchs used Britain's libel laws to silence those who they see as trying to defame them. This was experienced firsthand by journalist Catherine Belton, who faced legal action from three Russian oligarchs who were named in her book, 'How the KGB Took Back Russia and Then Took on The West'. This book publicized the relationships between these oligarchs and their connections to Vladimir Putin.

London fosters an environment for the suspiciously wealthy. They can exploit systems to squeeze as much profit as possible, embed themselves in affluent social circles, buy their way into citizenship, and then sue anyone who speaks out against them.

The Support Systems that Aide Laundering

While they were briefly mentioned in the last sections, oligarchs' laundering could not be possible without the agencies that help them. These agencies do the legwork while the oligarchs just supply them with their masses of wealth, which are usually dubiously obtained from the Russian Government by stealing from public businesses, private businesses, and criminal enterprises (ranging from national to international crimes). The favorite methods of oligarchical money laundering aren't money laundering at all but instead money washing, also known as Conversion. Conversion is simple; oligarchs use their dirty money in a city with weak financial regulations and simply go on a spending spree. This is why London has gained so many monikers, like 'the Oligarchs' Playground' or 'Londongrad.' It is the perfect place for oligarchs to use their dirty money to buy high-end real estate, football clubs, cars, make donations to universities, or anything that involves throwing massive amounts of cash at something. The only problem is moving that money from Russia to London. British authorities might be lazy on money laundering checks, but the other national banks and international authorities are always on the lookout for suspicious activities. The burden of moving this money sits on the shoulders of the shell companies. This is easier said than done; even though there are London-based agencies to aid oligarchs in establishing these shell companies, having them registered in the UK is a problem. While oligarchs can skirt many regulations in London, the banking system wants its cut and could want to know where the money is coming from. Plus, taxes and fees in the UK can be large. It might be fun to spend in London, but to save and move money between accounts means massive administrative fees. So, the shell companies that will hold the ill-gotten gains will usually be registered in tax haven nations, like Cyprus or the British Virgin Islands. Not only does this allow the money not to be eaten into by legislative fees but also allows for the men behind the shell companies to enjoy a degree of anonymity. These wouldn't just be singular entities but tens, maybe hundreds of different shell companies all sending and moving money to each other, to muddy the trail if any financial investigators come sniffing around. It also stops any Russian authorities from being able to get their hands on the corrupt cash given to the oligarchs.

Now all of this money has been moved around and converted into a foreign currency. The next port of call is Enjoyment, yes, that is the actual name of the step. Usually, the enjoyment part comes at the end of the money laundering process, but for money washing, the enjoyment is an integral part of the method. Oligarchs usually have made a name for themselves and are well known for their business activities in Russia or Eastern Europe. If you're a Russian oligarch, with a net worth of upwards of billions, nobody is gonna bat an eyelid when you're seen courtside at the NBA or bankrolling an entire University Course, in the case of Firtash. Usually, oligarchs ease into their enjoyment spending. First, they will acquire stocks in successful businesses, allowing them to have some plausible deniability if anyone starts to investigate their income. However, once they have invested in a few businesses, oligarchs can live life to the fullest in London. They can purchase whatever they want, whenever they want. This is because these oligarchs are viewed as financial elites, so many turn the other way or don't think to check where the money was coming from. Money Washing, or Conversion, is simply a way of exploiting these weaker financial cities.

An Oligarch Yacht Docked in the UK

The final step is Elitism, whereby oligarchs further their social ventures. This is the meeting with politicians and becoming best friends with the University of Cambridge part of the process. This offers a layer of protective insulation around the whole process. Once you're rubbing shoulders with the Queen and Members of the Cabinet, then nobody is gonna suspect that you're living off criminal money acquired by the Russian Government. This is why oligarchs embedding themselves in these esteemed social circles is so effective. It doesn't just grant them power, but it also grants them the impression of power. If an ordinary person were to up and buy a mansion in Chelsea, there would be great concern because there would be so many questions, with the primary one being: Where did they get the money from? An oligarch's perceived power allows them to escape this alarm; it is simply just expected that powerful people splash their cash, and nobody really cares about where it comes from.

And Then It All Came Crashing Down

When financial sanctions were brought against Russia for their invasion of Ukraine, all eyes turned awkwardly to Britain. For decades, London had fostered the Russian oligarchs who were close with Putin. No longer could the UK shrug their shoulders and go back to enjoying the billions they brought into the city. Instead, they were forced to do something about it. At the end of 2022, all of Putin's closest oligarchs had all of their assets frozen. Overnight, over £2 billion worth of assets were frozen. Any bank or company account associated with the oligarchs was also locked. In the weeks before, there was talk of severing the oligarchs' spending power in London, as many feared they were sending money back to Putin to fund his war with Ukraine. The asset freeze stopped all of this and any hopes that oligarchs had of living their usual extravagant London lives. The oligarchal way of London was over. Due to poor record-keeping, all known assets were frozen, which prompted financial investigators to begin pursuing all hidden or obscured assets owned by the oligarchs, which were many and likely to add on a few billion to the known value of £2 billion. The freezing of these assets doesn't just mean they can be sold but that any investment into the asset was forbidden. Houses couldn't be renovated, football clubs couldn't accept transfers, gardeners couldn't even work on the hedges on any land owned. It was a sophisticated way of sticking the knife in the oligarchs and turning it. Their assets were frozen, and all they could do is depreciate in value. Not only that, but any rental agreements signed by oligarchs are still legally binding. They could be renting an office but are forbidden from using it or even putting lightbulbs in. Instead, the rent, and other fees, are taken from their frozen bank accounts.

As the oligarchs struggle and attempt to find loopholes, asset freezes are usually maintained for a long time. There are still buildings in London in disrepair from when there were financial sanctions against the Libyan Government and any businesses associated with them. For any financial purchase, from a carton of milk to buying a new sports car, they must go to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI). Oligarchs have begun to sue OFSI because of the inconvenience of submitting paperwork every time they do a weekly shop. The cases are currently in court, but many don't expect sympathetic outcomes for the oligarchs. Further investigations have also uncovered more hidden assets owned by oligarchs, and the total value of Frozen Goods sits at just over £18 billion pounds.

Protesters Demonstrating on the Frozen Secondary Home of an Oligarch

London's disregard for and incentivization of foreign money drew in dubious oligarchs with deep pockets filled with ill-gotten cash. For decades, they were able to live lavish lifestyles and squeeze every ounce of value they could out of London's real estate. Now, they are paying for their crimes by watching their wealth slowly dwindle—Lamborghinis gather dust, land becomes overgrown, and buildings become vandalized.

The Yemen Civil War, Russian Oil and Corruption Within the US Government

This story may sound like something from a bad Hollywood blockbuster, involving corrupt lobbyists and international schemes, but it is real and happened just a few years ago. The men at the centre of this debacle are Barry Bennet and Douglas Watts. Between them, they possess decades of lobbying experience and have connections to numerous politicians and governmental organizations. Watts is a former Presidential consultant and the founder of his own PR company. Bennet oversees two lobbying firms in Washington D.C., Avenue Strategies and Avenue Strategies Global. Additionally, he was a key advisor to Donald Trump during his presidential campaigns. These two men played a crucial role in a plot to undermine a US alliance with other nations. When lobbyists and advisors take on work for foreign nations, they are required to register under FARA, the Foreign Agents Registration Act. This organization, established in the 1930s, aims to increase transparency in political decision-making, making it more difficult for foreign nations to influence US policy. However, Bennet and Watts did not make such disclosures.

Lobbyists cannot make a difference without a politician to influence, and in this case, it was Kansas Governor Jeff Coyler. With our American actors established, a key player is currently missing in this story: What foreign government is paying our Foreign Agent Lobbyists? It was Qatar, specifically the money came from the Qatari Embassy in the United States.

The corruption issue began in 2017 when Yemen was in crisis. The country was embroiled in a brutal civil war between the Yemeni government and the Houthi Movement. The Houthis are an anti-West terror organization seeking to sever Yemen's ties with the USA, Israel, and any other nation aligned with the West. The group was galvanized by US activities in the Middle East, specifically its invasion of Iraq in 2003. Since the 1990s, the Houthi Movement has been active in perpetrating attacks in Yemen. In the 2010s, these attacks escalated to the point where the Houthis had occupied a large section of Yemen.

While Western nations opposed the Houthis, in the Islamic realm, opinions were divided. Conservative nations like Iran and Syria, which had similar feelings toward the West and Israel, supported the Houthis. On the other hand, nations with allegiances to the West, such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, stood in staunch opposition to the Houthis. This divide turned the Yemen Civil War into a proxy war among Muslim states, with each side receiving financial support from sympathetic nations. Saudi Arabia led efforts to ensure the Yemeni national Government remained supported and internationally recognized. Qatar was one such nation in this council. However, relations between Qatar and Saudi Arabia were far from perfect, as they were political rivals. They had backed differing sides in the Second Libyan Civil War in 2014, and the Syrian Civil War, and had other disputes, including Qatari-owned media company Al Jazeera's criticism of Saudi Arabia. Al-Jazeera would be a useful asset for the Qatari Government, especially concerning the Houthi Movement. Qatar used its media resources to shift the perception of the Houthis from a terror group to that of a freedom fighter organization. Such portrayals, coupled with continued financial assistance by Qatar, angered Saudi Arabia and other council members. In June 2017, Saudi Arabia and all other council members cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, including restricting their air and sea space to Qatari vehicles.

Saudi Arabian media organizations began accusing Qatar of funding terror organizations and openly criticizing the United States. Such negative attention by its allies in the Middle East made the US focus on Qatar. Fearing repercussions for its expulsion from the anti-Houthi coalition, Qatar decided to pay US lobbyists to help them from within.

Between 2017 and 2018, Qatar paid Avenue Strategies, owned by Bennet, $3 million, along with plans to improve relations between the US and Qatar. Subsequent payments of $250,000 were also made to Bennet's companies by the Qataris. Funds from the initial payments were used by Bennet and Watts to establish an organization known as 'Yemen CrisisWatch.' The sole purpose of this organization was to undermine Saudi Arabia and the UAE by strengthening ties with the US. Around this time, then-Lieutenant Governor Colyer was briefing fellow congressmen on the security crisis in Yemen, displaying the logos and graphics of Yemen CrisisWatch. Colyer, preparing to run for the Governorship of Kansas in 2018 and accepting donations, received $4000 from Bennet's Avenue Strategies on December 18th, 2017, toward his campaign fund. The use of such logos in his presentation implies that he was in contact with Bennet and Watts long before those donations were made. It was clear that Yemen CrisisWatch's main purpose was to reach out to as many influential individuals as possible. Californian Televangelist Robert Schuller was also contacted by the organization, writing two op-ed pieces echoing the group's message.

He wrote:

"I was recently asked to become ambassador to Yemen CrisisWatch, a new organisation that seeks to raise awareness about the country. I agreed without hesitation. As a follower of Jesus, I have preached throughout my career- on television, on radio, and at churches- that we must help others who languish in fear and hopelessness".

This Has Happened Before

This would not be the only time Avenue Strategies, led by Bennet, would be linked to not registering as a foreign agent. This story had occurred before, but the men involved had managed to avoid prosecution. In 2017, Corey Lewandowski, another founder of Avenue Strategies and Trump's former campaign manager, lobbied for an American branch of a Venezuelan oil company called Citgo. Citgo paid Avenue Strategies $25,000 a month to establish connections with Trump's closest confidants and to dissuade Congress from imposing economic sanctions on Venezuela. At that time, Venezuela, a Russian ally, was in a fierce diplomatic dispute with the US. Additionally, Venezuela faced intense media scrutiny for its role in state-backed drug and human trafficking. Rumours circulated that Russia was in talks to purchase Citgo from its parent company in Venezuela. Citgo was desperate to cleanse its reputation among US government officials, and Avenue Strategies aimed to accomplish this. Once again, these connections weren't formally disclosed to the relevant authorities. Barry Bennet was also involved in this scandal when he stated that paperwork about the Citgo deal would be submitted on Wednesday, February 22nd.

When these documents weren't submitted, eyebrows were raised. Meanwhile, Trump promised to eliminate the influence of special interest groups in D.C., but his closest advisors were illegally lobbying. The situation brought nothing but embarrassment to Trump, Bennet, and Lewandowski. Soon, formal complaints were made to the Department of Justice by watchdog groups. Further investigation found that Bennet and Lewandowski used their Citgo lobbying money to establish another organization called Washington East West Political Strategies. Through this new organization, documents were discovered showing that they offered clients meetings with President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. These documents are believed to have been used when reaching out to potential clients in Eastern Europe. The situation worsened when it was found that Citgo had donated $500,000 to Donald Trump's inaugural committee, despite never making a political donation before. Bennet denied all these claims, stating that, although Avenue Strategies had stakes in Washington East West Political Strategies, they were not aware of these documents. He blamed the third owner of Washington East West, an Azerbaijani oil tycoon and businessman, who Bennet says created and distributed the documents without his knowledge. When pressed about Washington East West and these business dealings, Bennet announced that the company would be dissolved. The only issue was that other Avenue Strategy-affiliated lobbying companies operated in other areas such as the Middle East. Bennet did not comment on whether these would be shut down.

Concerning the business dealings with Citgo, further investigations found that the Russian government-owned oil company Rosneft was on the brink of taking over Citgo, causing concern among many Congress members. Citgo had three refineries in the US, as well as three major pipelines. Rosneft had given a loan to Citgo's parent company, the Venezuelan government-owned oil company PDVSA. As collateral, PDVSA had offered 49.9% of their company stock. Venezuela was experiencing one of its worst economic crises, and experts predicted they would not be able to pay it back in time. A bipartisan group of Senators wrote a letter to Trump's Secretary of the Treasury, Steve Mnuchin, expressing their fears about a Russian government-owned company having so much power over the US's energy production. The controversy reached a fevered pitch, and everyone was looking at Avenue Strategies, whose initial lack of paperwork filing had uncovered Citgo's potential buyout by Russia and the extremely close links between foreign agents and the President.

Bennet had previously stated that he would not lobby against US interests; clearly, he did not mean that. He stated that if Rosneft acquired Citgo, then Avenue Strategies would resign from the contract. He also doubled down, stating that Citgo was based in Texas and was an American company, despite being technically owned by a foreign government. Bennet shirked responsibility by stating that Avenue Strategies was subcontracted by VantageKnight, a Democrat-linked lobbying company. Documents revealed that VantageKnight had contracted Avenue Strategies for another lobbying job. In addition, VantageKnight was paid $270,000 to lobby for Citgo for the first three months of 2017, focusing on voiding possible sanctions and restrictions on US energy policy. So after all of this, where did it leave Bennet, Lewandowski, and Avenue Strategies? Well, the smoke kicked up by this whole controversy seemingly allowed them to avoid any punishment. Trump's presidency was already marred by talks of Russian collusion, and this foreign agent issue didn't help, but Avenue Strategies saw no major setback or punishment for their role in lobbying for other countries. In fact, Lewandowski received a major promotion to the advisory board of the Pentagon.

They got caught

The tactic of using lobbying money to establish a new organization to work through is clearly a favourite of Avenue Strategies. Yemen CrisisWatch and East West Washington Political Strategies are just two such organizations. This time, Avenue Strategies wasn't able to escape punishment for being undisclosed foreign agents. Soon after Yemen CrisisWatch began to ramp up its operations, the Department of Justice began to investigate. Promptly, the Yemen CrisisWatch Twitter and website were deleted. Bennet and Watts were brought in for deposition by the Department of Justice and FBI. Both men entered Deferred Prosecution Agreements. For Bennet, he consented to two charges of falsifying, concealing, and covering up material facts from the FARA Unit. In addition, he was charged with making false statements and material omissions in FARA filings. For this, Bennet will face a fine of $100,000. Watts consented to three counts of acting as an agent of a foreign principal without registering under FARA and making false statements to the FBI. He would be fined $25,000. The punishments for these men are measly. They openly accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars, sometimes millions, just to be fined nothing close to that. This will do nothing to discourage or prevent this in the future. The Department of Justice had failed once to punish these same men for doing this, and then when they did, they gave them punishments so weak that it likely wouldn't change anything.

Below is the Department of Justice's description of events. They kept the countries and companies involved anonymous. In this version, I will replace the pseudonyms with the actual names of the actors involved.

In 2017, Bennett signed a contract for Avenue Strategies to perform lobbying services for the embassy of Qatar. As part of his lobbying strategy on behalf of Qatar and for and in the interest of Qatar, Bennett covertly operated Yemen CrisisWatch, a Limited Liability Company (LLC) founded by Watts at Bennett’s direction. As directed by Bennett and managed by Watts, Yemen CrisisWatch ran a public relations campaign designed to cast one of Qatar’s rivals, Saudi Arabia, in a negative light for its conduct, and thereby to improve Qatar’s standing with the U.S. government relative to this rival.

 Qatar paid Bennett’s Avenue Strategies $2.1 million between September 2017 and December 2017 for lobbying services, and approximately 27% of those funds (i.e., approximately $773,000) financed the operations of Yemen CrisisWatch. In return, Yemen CrisisWatch conducted a social media campaign (the Yemen CrisisWatch Twitter), published opinion articles in major newspapers (The Televangelist Op-Ed), produced a documentary that was distributed through a national television network, sent direct mailings to American citizens, and lobbied Congress (Through Governor Colyer) and former President Trump.

Yemen CrisisWatch took credit for directing 3,000 phone calls to members of the U.S. House of Representatives encouraging them to discontinue U.S. involvement in a coalition of  Qatar’s rivals. The House eventually voted overwhelmingly to “deauthorize” U.S. involvement with the coalition.

            Neither Watts nor Yemen CrisisWatch was registered under FARA.

This is why Hizb ut-Tahrir have been added to the UK's Terror List (Hizb ut-Tahrir Explained)

UK Home Secretary James Cleverly after banning the group

The UK is at the forefront of Western counter-terror initiatives. Their recent participation in the US-led anti-Houthi coalition seemingly prompted the Home Office to reevaluate the position of Islamic fundamentalist groups operating within the UK. One group, in particular, has been targeted by the UK Home Office: Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, the British arm of the Lebanese-based Hizb ut-Tahrir. So, who is Hizb ut-Tahrir, and why are they being placed on the UK's list of banned terror groups?

Who is Hizb ut-Tahrir?

Founded in 1953 by Palestinian scholar, Taqi al-Din al-Nabhani, the Hizb ut-Tahrir organisation championed the idea of a singular, unified Muslim state. This idea of forming a Muslim caliphate is an idea championed by other Islamic extremist organisations, like the Islamic State. To them, it was the Muslim world against all other religions and beliefs. The group was also founded on the idea that jihad was a fundamental and important aspect of Islam. The group is fundamentally opposed to Zionism and the state of Israel. Such beliefs meant that the group was involved in numerous assaults and failed coups in the Middle East, with the group being linked to failed coups in Jordan and Syria. All the while, the organisation claimed to be one of non-violence. In 1989, this illusion would finally be dropped, when the organisation began to move away from their non-violent approaches and instead become more militant in their efforts to form a Muslim caliphate. Since then, the group has endorsed suicide bombing and other forms of violence against national governments. In 2003, two events would push Hazb ut-Tahrir to its most violent position yet: the US-led invasion of Iraq and the retirement of the group's then-leader Abdul Qadeem Zallum. He was replaced by a Palestinian, Ata Khalil Abu-Rashta, an advocate for Hizb ut-Tahrir to become more extreme in their actions and instructions to their supporters. When the US invaded Iraq, the group became galvanised to fight back against Western intervention in the Middle East. The group would also be extremely involved in the Syrian Revolution, and the following conflicts, hoping that the revolutionary soldiers could platform Hizb ut-Tahrir's beliefs about forming an Islamic Caliphate.

Beyond its involvement in crises, Hizb ut-Tahrir has utilized emerging forms of communication, like the Internet, to spread its extreme platform worldwide. With branches in fifty countries, including the UK, its estimated membership ranges from ten thousand to millions. The group's finances and logistics remain mysterious, with speculations about funding from members' contributions or possibly from national governments like Iran or Saudi Arabia.
The group's extreme beliefs, particularly in endorsing violence against countries seen as a danger to Muslims, have led several nations, including China, Brazil, Bangladesh, Germany, and Muslim nations except the UAE, Lebanon, and Yemen, to ban Hizb ut-Tahrir. With a history riddled with calls to violence, it is no surprise that the group has been banned in the UK. However, the actual process of getting it banned in the British Isles has been a long and complicated one.

Why were they added to the terror group list by the UK Government?

Hizb ut-Tahrir supporters at a Pro-Palestine Protest

The group was first put under scrutiny in 2005 when Prime Minister Tony Blair sought to ban the group after the London Bombings. Subsequent investigations found that the group had no links to the terror attacks. In 2010, UK Prime Minister David Cameron promised to ban the group. This was easier said than done. When approached about banning the organisation, UK lawyers claimed that they couldn't add the group to the list of banned organisations as they had not committed any terror-related offences. Discussions of banning the group would not return to the UK political consciousness until October of 2023. The current conflict between Israel and Palestine had ushered Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain to organise Pro-Palestinian protests. At these protests, members of Hizb ut-Tahrir were chanting for jihad which caused great concern among police and politicians. Following the protests, Hizb ut-Tahrir took to their websites to support Hamas attacks on Israel and attacks on Jewish people in other countries. Promoting and encouraging such violence prompted Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to call for the group to be banned. She spoke about the group in the House of Commons in a speech that got the attention of many UK politicians. Days later, Home Secretary James Cleverly began the process of getting the group banned. On January 19th, British politicians agreed that the British wing of Hizb ut-Tahrir should be added to the list of banned terror organisations. In one final statement, the leaders of the UK branch of the group stated that the ban was politically motivated and that they had no credible links to actual terror organisations.

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For an article about their involvement in Operation Prosperity Guardian, click here!

 A Year in Counter Terrorism: The Coups of Africa

The past few years have seen multiple crises in the continent of Africa, not only through the rise in violent extremism but also through political unrest. The coups in Africa have been some of the most reported incidents in Africa this year. Niger and Gabon saw coups this year, making it seven coups in Africa since 2020. Often referred to as the 'coup belt', the worrying trend in Western and Central African coups reveals a worrying trend in African Democracy. The circumstances behind the Nigerien and Gabonese coups reveal the problems with Democracy in these African nations. 

The Nigerien Coup Crisis

The coup in Niger is a showcase of the wider problems in West Africa. To understand why President Mohamed Bazoum was removed from power, it is important to understand the issues surrounding violent extremism in the region. Extremism and insurgency in West Africa are rife. Terrorist organizations and their activities affect the democratic processes both nationally and internationally. Pressures applied to governments by these groups have led to widespread disdain for national governments and their failures when it comes to tackling extremism. This is one reason why coups in West Africa are an extremely common occurrence. Military juntas currently control Mali, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Benin, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, Guinea, and Chad. An overthrow of the government is detrimental to the international relations of the country. For many of these coup-affected governments, the ousted leader was friendly with Western countries, usually the former colonial owner of the nation. Once removed, new allies would be found with enemies of those in the West. In West Africa, this mainly consists of the juntas distancing themselves from France and strengthening relations with Russia, and by extension, the Wagner paramilitary Group.

The Wagner Group has created a new incentive for this relationship with Russia. In the fight against terror in these affected African nations, usually, Western allies would be aiding in the fight against extremism. As these counter-terror activities failed, blame quickly fell onto the Western militaries, from both the country's citizens, politicians, and military. Once a coup had taken place, western allies and International Organisations (like the African Union) would sever all support. This would leave a massive military vacuum as hundreds of troops would be removed from the fight against counter-terror. Strengthening relations with Russia enables these military juntas to use the paramilitary Wagner Group, which already has a strong presence in Africa. Such a dynamic has created a sort of incentive for the military to take control of the government. 

Fighting extremism in Africa has been fraught with tactical and political disasters. So, when public and military support had shifted against the sitting government, militaries didn't have to worry about the implications of a potential coup. Once they had assumed power, they would have a firm ally in Russia. International organisations also impose sanctions on military juntas to deter them from happening. However, the mass of military juntas in Africa means that there is now a support system in place for these new juntas. No longer will financial sanctions devastate the country, because other juntas will assist new ones. This process, and the growing number of juntas in Africa, creates a worrying backdrop to the Nigerien Coup Crisis.

In the early months of 2023, Niger was experiencing a security crisis, facing two insurgencies by two different warring terrorist organizations. JNIM, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated insurgent group, and the Islamic State in the Sahel are both active in Niger and actively fighting against each other. Furthermore, rebel organizations in the neighbouring juntas and criminal bandit gangs are also active around Niger's border. With all of these groups active, vying for control of border areas of Niger, violent attacks are extremely common, not just on other groups but also on politicians and civilians. Niger's military, along with supporting French soldiers, were struggling to properly combat the violence. The background of violence bred a rise in anti-government sentiment and negative attitudes towards France. President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger had been a vocal supporter of France and had criticized his junta neighbours on numerous occasions. He had spoken negatively about the coups of neighbouring Mali and their decisions to employ the Wagner Group. He had criticized Burkina Faso for employing local militias in counter-terrorism. These statements, while endorsing France, galvanized his detractors and even attracted critics from these neighbouring nations.

The growing dislike for the sitting government put pressure on politicians to make changes within the military, in hopes of correcting the issues of the failed counter-terror campaigns. President Mohamed Bazoum had started making plans to remove military leadership from their roles. One of these leaders about to be fired from their position was Abdourahamane Tchiani, the leader of the Presidential Guard. Tchiani had held the position for many years and had defended Bazoum and his predecessor from coup attempts. The decision to remove him had him, and many other military leaders, feeling scorned by Bazoum and his government.

On July 26th, Tchiani, and the Presidential Guardsmen began the coup. Reports came out saying that the Guardsmen were conducting anti-republican activities. Then, it was reported that Bazoum and his family were now hostages within their home. Coup-supporting forces, from other branches of the county's military, began to block off key Governmental buildings and began dispersing crowds of Bazoum's supporters with gunfire. Forces loyal to Bazoum, mainly members of the Army and National Guard, began to take key strategic points, preparing to engage any pro-coup forces on the move. The scene was set for country-wide warfare between government loyalists and pro-coup forces. 

The Chief of the country's air force, and other prominent members from various armed forces branches, took to television to declare his support for the coup and told the general public that Bazoum had been ousted from power. He also formally announced the formation of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (NCSH), Niger's new military junta Government. The military had made their coup obvious and clear, but many believed that Bazoum still held power. He had not resigned or commented on the coup against him. Western nations began to criticise the coup and called for the release of Bazoum.

Nigerien Military Officials on TV Backing the Coup Against Bazoum

Before widespread violence could break between Government loyalists and pro-coup forces, the Chief of Staff for the Nigerien Army signed a document endorsing the coup, to avoid the brutal country-wide fighting. The junta began using their new authoritative powers to suspend all military cooperation with France. The junta also had officials on TV making announcements. Such public displays and immediate action against France had stirred up the critics of Bazoum and France. Thousands took to the streets brandishing Russian flags and vandalising government buildings. Police attempted to disperse the crowds, but a riot quickly broke out with government buildings being set alight. All forms of demonstration were then banned by the Interior Ministry. On July 28th, the Government was officially suspended and General Tchiani was declared as the new head of state. In a statement, delivered on television, Tchiani scorned Bazoum for his lack of cooperation with neighbouring juntas and his unwavering support for France. This was the end of the coup, but not from the crisis. Bazoum and his family had been imprisoned in his home and were not being freed.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is an international organisation that covers the area of West Africa. Previously, they had imposed restrictions on military juntas. Seeing the growing trend of coups in West Africa, and the lack of impact from their sanctions, ECOWAS took immediate, decisive action after Niger's coup. Financial sanctions weren't a feasible punishment due to the fostering of military juntas. ECOWAS demanded Bazoum be reinstated by July 30th. When this was not done, they began to discuss mobilising their standing, armed force to physically reinstate him. In early August, the force was raised and plans were made to invade Niger. The junta threatened to kill Bazoum if ECOWAS did so. Since then, there has been a tentative negotiation process between ECOWAS, the junta and the United Nations, all the while Bazoum remains imprisoned. 

To read the initial reactions and analyses as the Nigerien Coup unfolded, check out our first article reporting on it: https://visionmilitarynews.blogspot.com/2023/07/the-ongoing-coup-in-niger-what-we-know.html

Here is another article on the Pro-Russian Movement sweeping through Niger: https://visionmilitarynews.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-post-coup-pro-russian-movement.html

The Coup in Gabon 

The coup in Gabon has one man at the centre of it: President, now former President, Ali Bongo Ondimba. Unlike the other coups in West Africa, Gabon's coup was not prompted by the reaction to violent extremism. In fact, Gabon was a relatively secure country security-wise. Instead, Gabon's coup was caused by internal corruption within the nation's Government. The Bongo family had a vice-like grip on the democratic processes of Gabon since its independence in 1960. Bongo had held office since 2009 when his father passed away, with leadership being passed to him after his death. Since then, his reign has been marred in controversy.

Gabon's Former President Ali Bongo

Gabon is a member of OPEC, an organisation where the world's most petroleum-rich nations cooperate to influence global oil markets. The main goal of this group is to boost revenue for member nations, with other members including Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Mexico. Despite being part of this organisation and being one of Africa's largest oil producers, Gabon's population remains poverty-stricken. Unemployment rates for 15 to 24-year-olds were around 40%, and one-third of the country lived in poverty. The income from Gabon's massive oil exports wasn't reinvested in the country but was absorbed by Bongo and his corrupt Government.

The issue of corruption didn't just plague Gabon's economy but also its elections. Following his re-election in 2016, tensions boiled over in an attempted coup. Bongo was elected with 95.5% of the overall votes, with 99.9% of the county's population voting. These numbers were highly suspect and were met with immediate scepticism from Bongo's detractors. In 2019, a coup was attempted to remove Bongo from power following his years of corruption. This coup failed, and Bongo vowed to keep Gabon stable, unlike other regions in Africa.

The corruption and scandal by Ali Bongo continued, and by 2020, the country had found itself in an economic crisis. In August 2023, Bongo was up for re-election once again, and it was expected that he would lose due to his immense unpopularity. However, once again, he was re-elected in dubious circumstances on August 26th, 2023. His opponent in the elections, and the candidate who had placed second, Albert Ondo Ossa, began to put pressure on Bongo about the election results, believing they had tampered with. When it came time to officially reveal the election results, it was done in the middle of the night, unannounced on state television. Then, curfew measures and internet restrictions were imposed to curb the criticism about the results. Bongo and his Government claimed that the talks of corruption were fake news by those attempting to incite violence. Bongo's re-election was officially announced at 3:30 in the morning by Gabon's Electoral Commission, with him winning with 64% of the overall vote. The early morning announcement did not stop the citizens of Gabon from protesting. Immediately protests began against President Ali Bongo and his corrupt Government. Gabon's military intervened, siding against Bongo. Military officials took to TV Channel Gabon24 to declare that they were removing Bongo from power. One military official said that Bongo was being ousted because of "irresponsible, unpredictable governance," which led to "a continuous degradation of social cohesion." They also announced a border closure and a curfew whilst they removed Bongo from power.

Excerpt from the statement read by the military official: "Our beautiful country, Gabon, has always been a haven of peace. Today, the country is going through a serious institutional, political, economic, and social crisis [...] We are therefore forced to admit that the organisation of the general elections of 26 August 2023 did not meet the conditions for a transparent, credible, and inclusive ballot so much hoped for by the people of Gabon. [...] Added to this is irresponsible and unpredictable governance, resulting in a continuing deterioration in social cohesion, with the risk of leading the country into chaos […] People of Gabon, we are finally on the road to happiness. May God and the spirits of our ancestors bless Gabon. Honour and loyalty to our homeland.”

Bongo, his family and a few close advisors were arrested at his home in Libreville. Some gunshots were heard as crowds were deterred from breaking into the former president's mansion. Inside the house, the Bongo family were unharmed by military personnel. They were all arrested for their involvement in fraudulent government procedures and placed under immediate house arrest. Suitcases full of Central African Francs were also recovered which may have been stashed campaign funds by the Bongo family. Whilst under house arrest, Ali Bongo took to social media to call for his supporters to protest his removal and to reinstate him as President of Gabon. Following this video post, the Bongo Family had their phones confiscated. Those arrested were:

• Ali Bongo [Former President]- Detained 
• Noureddin Bongo Valentin [President Bongo's Oldest Son & Advisor]- Detained
• Sylvia Valentin [Wife of President Bongo]- Charged with Money Laundering, Receiving Stolen Goods, Forgery and Fraud
• Richard Auguste Onouviet [President of the National Assembley]- Charged with High Treason, Misappropriation of Public Funds, Organised International Financial Embezzlement, Forgery, Falsification of the President's Signature, Active Corruption and Drug Trafficking
• Ian Ghislian Ngoulou [Presidential Chief of Staff]- Charged with High Treason, Misappropriation of Public Funds, Organised International Financial Embezzlement, Forgery, Falsification of the President's Signature, Active Corruption and Drug Trafficking
• Mohamed Ali Saliou [Deputy Chief of Staff]- Charged with High Treason, Misappropriation of Public Funds, Organised International Financial Embezzlement, Forgery, Falsification of the President's Signature, Active Corruption and Drug Trafficking
• Jessye Ella Ekogha [Presidential Spokesperson]- Charged with High Treason, Misappropriation of Public Funds, Organised International Financial Embezzlement, Forgery, Falsification of the President's Signature, Active Corruption and Drug Trafficking
• Unnamed Presidential Advisor- Charged with High Treason, Misappropriation of Public Funds, Organised International Financial Embezzlement, Forgery, Falsification of the President's Signature, Active Corruption and Drug Trafficking
• Two Officials in Bongo's Affiliated Party, the Gabonese Democratic Party- Charged with High Treason, Misappropriation of Public Funds, Organised International Financial Embezzlement, Forgery, Falsification of the President's Signature, Active Corruption and Drug Trafficking

The military appointed Brigadier General Brice Oligui as the new interim president of Gabon whilst they sought to form a transitional government. Oligui was the leader of the Republican Guard, Gabon's security force and Presidential guard. Oligui is no stranger to politics, with him being a close advisor to Ali Bongo's father Omar Bongo. He was met with celebration, being carried through the streets by Gabonese citizens upon his appointment. In an interview with a French publication, Oligui spoke about the discontentment felt by the Gabonese people and that he would lead the new Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions, a committee that would create an established, functioning Government. He said that reconstructing these institutions would be done quickly, but proper due diligence would be taken to avoid the pitfalls of corruption. He also stated that Bongo was officially retired from politics.

Gabonese citizens celebrating the removal of Bongo

In the weeks after Bongo's removal, the country returned to normality with borders being reopened, internet services restored to normal and curfews being phased out. In the months following Oligui has stuck to his promise and has slowly begun building up a transitional government cabinet. In November, he announced that elections for a new President would be held in August 2025. As for Bongo, he was released from confinement and allowed to leave the country. It was revealed that the former President was suffering from major health complications and that he needed to leave the country to seek treatment. Bongo received treatment abroad and returned to his residence in Libreville where he now lives.

The Coup in Gabon highlights the previous failings of African Democracies. Whereby a corrupt group of individuals could deprive an entire nation of its wealth. Greed, corruption and power had blinded Bongo, forcing him to commit illegal acts to stay in power. His ousting was celebrated widely in Gabon and it remains unclear if he will stand trial for his alleged crimes.

To read the initial reactions and analyses as the Gabonese Coup unfolded, check out our first article reporting on it: https://visionmilitarynews.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-ongoing-unrest-coup-in-gabon.html

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What is Operation Prosperity Guardian? (The Red Sea Crisis & US strikes in Yemen)

In the sphere of counterterrorism, it has already been a monumental year in 2024. A coalition of forces, led by the US, has launched several attacks on Houthi positions in Yemen. The ongoing operation, called Operation Prosperity Guardian, is a military response to the unfolding Red Sea Crisis. In this article, the goals and aims of the operation will be examined, as well as the crisis that prompted the coalition to form.

The Red Sea Crisis

The Red Sea and Suez Canal are arguably the most important shipping routes in the world. Recent events have forced global trade to use the Suez Canal over other routes, especially for trade between Asia, Europe, and the US. The Suez Canal is faster than circumnavigating the continent of Africa around the Cape of Good Hope, which adds an extra two weeks to sea voyages. Recent droughts in Panama have hindered the capabilities of the Panama Canal, forcing traders to use the Suez Canal. However, the Suez Canal is in a geopolitical hotbed of unrest, notably Yemen, a country whose coast sits on the Red Sea.

Yemen has been facing unrest from the Houthi Movement since the 1980s. The Houthis formed out of staunch opposition to Saudi Arabia's influence over Yemen and were galvanized by the US Invasion of Iraq in the early 1990s. The group is staunchly against western powers and their Asian allies interfering in Middle Eastern matters. The Houthi Movement comprises nearly 20,000 fighters who have been carrying out attacks across Yemen, gaining control of a western section of the country.

The Houthis divide Muslim nations, with some, like Iran and Qatar, financially backing the group in its efforts to overthrow the Yemeni Government. On the other hand, countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been supporting the national Yemeni Government in their fight against the movement. The Houthis have been more proactive in their attacks since the conflict between Israel and Palestine broke out, targeting container ships in the Red Sea. Their most notable attack was on a cargo ship named the Galaxy Leader, which was seized and taken back to a Houthi-controlled port in Yemen, disrupting global trade significantly.

The economic impact of the Crisis has already been seen, with businesses turning to aircraft for shipping due to fears of cargo being jeopardized in the Suez Canal. Some fear that if the crisis goes unanswered, shipping companies may increase their fees, leading to higher prices for goods worldwide. However, leading financial experts believe that a major escalation in Houthi attacks would be required to seriously harm shipping companies to the point where it affects the prices of everyday items.

Operation Prosperity Guardian

UK Typhoon Jets launching strikes against the Houthis

Fearing further escalation, the US formed a coalition of nations to curb Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. On December 18th, the US announced Operation Prosperity Guardian, consisting of the US, UK, Norway, Greece, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Australia, Denmark, The Netherlands, and Bahrain, which will be the host nation for the military operation. There are a number of other aiding nations, though they have chosen not to be named as members of the US Coalition.

In the days after it was signed, on the 31st, the US began to carry out military activity in the Red Sea, with helicopters firing upon small boats attempting to capture a container ship. Ten militants were killed, and Operation Prosperity Guardian had officially begun. Soon, coalition nations began to send naval fleets to the Red Sea to begin their protection efforts. The UK's HMS Richmond and HMS Lancaster are traveling to the Suez as this article is being written. The US has already deployed the aircraft carrier the Dwight D. Eisenhower to the Suez, along with three destroyer-class ships, the USS Gravely, USS Laboon, and USS Mason. On January 9th, US and British navy and aircraft shot down 21 drones and missiles launched at them by the Houthis in Yemen, marking the largest attempted attack by the Houthis in the region. UK officials said that further escalation from the Houthis will only prompt more western nations to join the coalition.

In the Middle East, Prosperity Guardian has been met with mixed results. Many from Yemen are thankful for the protection as it is not only safeguarding global trade routes but also stemming the growth of the Houthi Movement. Officials in Yemen feared that if the Houthis gained significant control over the Red Sea, it would only further their efforts against them. However, Saudi Arabia has not been as happy about the operation's success. They have been attempting to normalize relations with Iran, and it is believed a peace deal might be reached on the condition that Saudi Arabia recognizes the Houthi Movement as a legitimate one. Such recognition could allow the Houthis to be acknowledged on the same level as the Yemeni National Government. Saudi Arabia has been fighting the Houthis since the group's inception and leads a coalition of Middle Eastern nations against the group. These negotiations with Iran could put this Operation in jeopardy. With widespread official recognition, plans to attack the Houthis could become increasingly complicated and fraught with international pressure to stop. Attacks by the Houthis have been condemned by the nations and organizations that support them.

What does this mean for the future of Yemen?

In the realm of counter-terrorism, the future of Yemen hangs in the balance. Several factors will contribute to the success and failure of Operation Prosperity Guardian. The Saudi negotiations with Iran will have a major contributing factor to whether the strike against the Houthis will be condemned by US allies in the Middle East. Furthermore, there are already rumours that US officials are displeased with the UK's immediate, and possibly unplanned, counter-attacks against Houthi forces. The situation has already unfolded rapidly in the past month, so it is likely that more developments in this story will occur in the coming weeks.

To read more about the Yemeni Civil War and its impacts around the world, check out another article here - which looks at how Qatar used US lobbyists to infiltrate Donald Trump's cabinets.