The trade in art, fine art, antiques and antiquities is not portrayed as a violent crime or illicit market and generally does not come off as a threat to international security. However, because of the large, increasing demand for antiquities, politically unstable source nations rich with cultural artifacts are exploited, prompting illicit activity in the clandestine art world, which is becoming an increasing concern. Terrorist organizations profit from the large financial volume of such low risk, high profit illicit activities and engage in cultural erosion that leaves the source nations weak in cultural identity. This in turn, allows terrorist groups the advantage of pursuing and shaping ideological notions in such volatile nations. The illicit, clandestine art market is also a unique market in which to create backdoor channels to organized crime, weapon trafficking and narcotic smuggling trade routes.
The art market is attracting attention due to some of the recent, notably high sales prices; unfortunately, such a profitable return rate from art sales provides enticement for terrorist groups to participate. The link of terrorism turns the subject of cultural property from a disputable matter in foreign relations to a matter with significant implications pertaining to international security. Local laborers, eager to provide a living for their family, have no qualms about looting cultural artifacts and selling them to make a profit. The network between laborers, dealers,
Historic treasures and artifacts are often donated to or purchased by other nations to place in their museums. Often museums are given the objects with full cooperation from the originating country, but sometimes they are stolen or given for protection such as in a time of war. When nations want the artifacts returned it can cause a disagreement with the other nations of who the rightful owner is.
Set in America, Hungary, and the Middle East, this narrative is about terrorism and the efforts the United States government makes to end such evil. I commend the author for his ability to vividly describe places and the weather. This arouses the interest of a reader. Included in the book are some beautiful photographs of some places, statues, and structures. For example, one of the Angel statues at Kerepesi cemetery in Budapest and the Tigris-Euphrates valley in the northern part of Baghdad.
Art Crime has become the encircling phrase used by law enforcement and art crime scholars to classify the field of inquiry involving crimes against art and cultural property. According to recent data from the FBI Art Crime Division, the $66 billion global art market is estimated to lose $8 billion annually to art crimes involving theft, looting, fraud, and trafficking— surpassed only by the drug and gun trafficking trades (FBI). Recent studies have confirmed that many insurgent groups and terrorists organizations—ISIS and Al-Qaeda—are funding their wars through the sales and trade of art and cultural objects. (Haken, National Geographic). When you mix art with criminal trafficking and the underworld associations of the black market, a clear picture of trouble fills the canvas.
In this passage they talk about the government trying to relocate stolen art work from the 1900's As in today the government has been trying to locate missing paintings that have been stolen in the 1900's. They are looking for missing art from decades ago. Often people have stolen art work that they don’t even know that the art work is stolen, these are called WPA (Works Progress Administration). These works commissioned in the 1930's and 40's are apart of America's culture and history.If we could find these paintings and art work it could reveal new things, how life was back the and how far we have came. Investigators with the GSA's office of Inspector general work to authenticate and recover these stolen paintings and art work.these stolen
There are several agencies around the world working to curtail art theft and recover stolen works.
Firstly, some experts have claimed that laws have been passed saying that the countries have ownership of ancient cultural property. According to a retired professor from the University of Virginia, Malcolm Bell III, says “It was exported illegally, probably also excavated illegally, and . . . is now . . . stolen property” (Mortimer). This is a valid point saying that many of the items that have been in museums for a very long time may have been exported illegally by illegal dealers. A second expert who agrees is John Tierney, who says, “the best way to protect archeological sites is to restrict the international trade in antiquities” (Tierney). Many have said to have gotten broken or ruined items of value through mail travel and that is unacceptable.
Criminal activity and terrorist activity have a relationship that is closely related, with only minor differences separating the two. Terrorist activity are criminal acts that are motivated by a higher cause beyond the basic causes of crime. Terrorist attack are highly planned out, and the same can be said about criminal activity. Serial killers often plan out their acts just as much as terrorist organizations, however the same cannot be said for certain crimes like random assaults. (Newman & Clarke, 2008) The relationship between crime and terrorism is brought closer when terrorist organizations use common crime to fund their attacks. For example, a terrorist organization may resort to stealing chemical agents to make their dirty bombs. The
Context and Research Question: In August 2015, after capturing the ancient Roman site of Palmyra, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) spectacularly exploded the remains of the Temple of Bel and the Temple of Baalshamin. They immediately spread the images of their destruction online by creating videos and news reports. ISIL’s acts of destruction mark the largest-scale mass destruction of antiquities by one group since the Second World War (Kulish and Myers 2016), and their videos are extremely effective in disseminating their spectacles outside of the Middle East. Scholars in art history, archaeology, and law consider these acts the destruction of cultural heritage (Harmanşah 2015; Bauer 2015; Brodie 2015; Drasewska 2015; He 2015; Kila 2015). In particular, ISIL’s videos seek to defy Western European ideas about cultural heritage which are often cast as universal (Meskell 2002, 568) and engage a worldwide audience through carefully articulated performances. However, the many Canadian journalists using digital media to protest the destruction and reassert their own humanitarian, cosmopolitan, and civilized heritage values clearly mark the success of this strategy (Manley 2016). In fact, a trend emerged where popular news stories claim that ISIL is destroying the heritage that belongs to all of humanity (Harmanşah 2015, 173). Some scholars dispute the validity of this
The purpose behind this research paper is to analyze how transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) are able to exploit the land and sea borders of the United States in order to produce billions of dollars annually. There will be a background completed not on just one specific TCO but the ways that these organizations produce substantial amounts of money. The methods in which they conduct their operations utilizing border crossings or getting through sea ports, as well. Then, finally, an overview on how these TCOs exploit the vulnerabilities of the United States law enforcement agencies and the security personal that are in place to protect the citizens of America from the illicit activities of these TCOs.
Agents will need to work to discover electronic sources of evidence, exploit those sources, and use them to find imported jewelry that appears to be destined for the counterfeit Indian art market...
These assumptions may seem alarmist. However, Da'esh has repetitively said that they despise "Western" culture and find it idolatrous. Therefore, to contain Da'esh and simultaneously achieve maximum strategic success, the United States and its allies must evolve by focusing efforts on countries to adopt proactive measures that will curb the market for antiquities and artifacts from Syria and other parts of the Middle East and North Africa. A law signed by President Obama on May 9, 2016 makes it illegal to import antiquities from Syria into the United States. This law should focus the efforts of the Joint Terrorism Task Forces to assist prosecutors in order to seize the wealth and jail those engaged in this illicit market at all levels. Severe prosecution and the associated public disgrace of western collectors and dealers will reduce market demand and by doing so diminish a major funding stream for terrorists, rogue regimes, and transnational organized crime. Following this law, it is critical that the United States Government makes efforts to include international cultural experts to depoliticize and optimize transdisciplinary and interagency strategies including counter-threat finance. By using such enhanced efforts, the United States will lead the global community in holding those accountable who commit and profit by cultural
Many horrible and despicable acts have been committed during wartime. However, some of the worst acts committed are not readily known, such as the destruction and looting of historical areas and heritage sites. Published in Near Eastern Archaeology, an article named “Satellite Imagery-Based Analysis of Archaeological Looting in Syria” tackles this issue. In it Jesse Casana, the author, explains how his team is using satellite imagery (along with ground reports) to track the widespread looting across Syria. Casana is currently an Associate Professor at Dartmouth College, in the Department of Anthropology. He is also directing a survey project in the Diyala River Valley in Iraq. His previous engagement was as director of an excavation at Tell Qarqur in Syria. His specialization is in the development and implementation of geospatial technology and its use in archaeology. The combination of his boots on the ground experience in Syria, along with his specialization makes him a perfect candidate to lead the analysis on these looting sites. There are many reasons that I chose to review this article, the foremost being that it simply sounded fascinating. In addition to that, I wanted to gather more information as to where, why, and to what extent, looting was occurring. /!/
The relationship between art and commerce has always been subject of hot discussion. Many people look at creativity as a vehicle for economic interest, while others view it as pure dedication for personal creative needs. The world as we live in today sees the creative industry, including visual and performing arts, sound recording, book publishing, and movie making, a highly commercialized global enterprise. People constantly buy and sell art products in a highly active market. Although it is difficult to conclude whether art and commerce is perfectly compatible or mutually exclusive, one thing is true, that the relationship between the two has not stayed constant throughout the history of art. From the early Renaissance period to contemporary and modern time, we see art gets intertwined with business more and more. There are multiple well known historical examples demonstrate the dynamic evolution of creative expression, though new system also brought challenges.
The history of terrorism can be traced back as far as the French revolution. Some of these acts of terrorism only seem as distant reminders of our past, but at the same time, are not a far cry from today’s brutal acts; and although these acts seem distant, it doesn’t also mean they are no longer in the thoughts of individuals in today’s time.
Of the many crimes that are present in this day and age, one that not only vandalizes the property, but as well as historical background is that of art theft. A crime that has taken away the sanctity of churches as well as many other religious and historical sites. Thefts have ranged from WWII (World War II) to the times of the Holocaust. Of the items that were taken from the churches, relics were items of great priority. These items not only had great value to the churches they were stolen from, but a great value to relic collectors. Most of the items taking during these times were either sold or placed in underground storage. Most of these items that were place in these secret places were never to be seen again. From the