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Pirate DVDs finance terrorism

Constantin Xenakis
News: Constantin Xenakis

Massive revenues from movie piracy are supporting terrorism, a Rand report claims.

Pirate DVDs finance terrorism

Hollywood's major studios have sponsored a report from the Rand Corporation, a research and analysis company headquartered in Santa Monica, just a few miles from Los Angeles.

According to the head of the study, Gregory Treverton, «What we do know is that the profit margin -- not the profit, but the profit margins -- are much greater for film piracy even than for narcotics.»

Which is why organized crime has added movie piracy to their list of«regular» activities ­ drug trafficking, racketeering, prostitution, etc.

As an example, the report takes the South American criminal organization of «specially designated global terrorist» and DVD pirate Assad Ahmad Barakat, who, according to the report, gives $20 million to Hezbollah every year.

27. March 2009

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