NAVIGATING THE SYMBIOSIS BETWEEN ORGANIZED CRIME AND TERRORISM: ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF FOREIGN TERRORIST FIGHTERS ON CRIMINAL NETWORKS

Abstract

The modern global security landscape is increasingly challenged by organized crime, fuelled by economic globalization and technological advancements that expand criminal networks and their illicit activities. European Union strategies emphasize disrupting high-risk criminal networks, acknowledging their impact on socio-economic systems, legal economies, and the rule of law. This paper highlights the growing threat of such networks in Europe, exacerbated by the involvement of foreign terrorist fighters and returnees over the past decade. The intersection of organized crime and terrorism has gained attention in academic and law enforcement circles. Moving beyond traditional views that treat them separately, recent studies explore their interconnectedness, focusing on conditions that foster cooperation and motivations for terrorist engagement in criminal activities. The Syrian conflict has amplified these dynamics, with foreign terrorist fighters intensifying illicit financial flows and collaborating with transnational criminal groups. Shared financial channels further blur distinctions between terrorism and organized crime, implicating fighters in diverse illicit activities. Using a desk-based approach, this research analyses literature and open-source data to trace the evolution of this nexus, examine the hybrid nature of these activities, and assess the risks posed by foreign terrorist fighters. The findings reveal a dynamic relationship with global impacts, posing significant security threats and driving political, economic, and social instability.