November 2001 Selected News Clips

OPINIONS ON RECENT ANTI-SECRECY LAWS

David HARDESTY's excellent, detailed explanation of the new USA Patriot law and its likely impact on offshore banking and financial secrecy.

A convicted money laundering lawyer says the new anti-terrorist cash law won't work; Prudential Financial's head of corporate anti-money laundering compliance says the new law won't stop international terrorism, but it will "scare the hell out of tax evaders."

Barry SPITZ explains why he thinks new anti-secrecy restrictions will change private banking emphasis from secrecy to investment.

John PUGSLEY, comments on the nature of the world 'anti-terror war' and its sad implications.

SWISS SECRECY STAYS

The Swiss economy minister suggests a withholding tax on foreigners' earned interest is better than violating financial privacy.

STOCK BROKER, SECURITIES FIRMS CRACK DOWN

US securities firms have almost no anti-money laundering controls; that's about to hange drastically. Customers now will be subjected to extensive personal background and financial checks.

HON. RON PAUL CONDEMNS “FIAT MONEY”

WASHINGTON. The congressman from Texas explains one of the root causes of the current recession and what should be done about it.

FINANCIAL ACTION TASK FORCE

Addressing the new FATF guidelines adopted last week in an emergency meeting, Daniel MITCHELL of the Heritage Foundation asks: "Is this going to work, or are we simply putting a heavy burden on the financial service industry and undermining law abiding people's privacy?"

The Financial Times thinks strict privacy-detroying "know your customer" policies are the answer to terrorist cash.

And the US government adds all major terror groups to its dirty cash hit list.

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU

A chilling, new Cato Institute report: Systematic Federal Surveillance of Americans.

ONLINE PRIVACY PRIMER

PC Magazine's current series of articles on computer and online privacy.

Of special interest, "9 Steps to Privacy."

FACE RECOGNITION

Civil liberties groups denounce new face recognition scanners as ineffective and needlessly intrusive.

CUSTOMS MAIL SEARCH

A pending US Congress ill, H.R. 3129,(Sec 144) would let US Customs agents search outbound mail for unreported monetary instruments.

STEALTH LAW MAY ALLOW U.S. ID CARDS

The new anti-terror law provision may lead to a national ID card.

SECRET U.S. COURT GETS NEW POWERS

Secret meetings, secret decisions, secret searches.

SWISS ECONOMIC POLICIES QUESTIONED

Ron HOLLAND marshals history and facts, asking: "Has Switzerland Sold Out to Washington, London & Wall Street?"

TAX HAVEN ICELAND?

REYKJAVIK, Iceland. This northern most nation lays official plans to become a world class offshore tax haven.

COMING ANARCHY? RICH vs. POOR

A new book claims "the end of the cold war merely set the parameters for the next struggle for survival".

HOW DO ISLAMIC “HAWALAS” OPERATE?

Exactly what goes on in the money transfer systems subjected to US police raids?. A graphic & article that explains.

NEW U.S. ANTI-TERROR LAW

Two views of what that new USA PATRIOT law means,

U.S. VIOLATES RIGHT TO ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE

On an 'emergency' basis, the US government will listen in on all talk between detained federal suspects and their lawyers.

E.U. WANTS MORE SNOOP POWERS

The European Union wants power for secret surveillance of e-mails, Internet and phone usage without a warrant.

IGNORING E.U., IRELAND PROSPERS

The Irish economy is the best in Europe because they refused to kowtow to EU orders, says Prime Minister Bertie Ahern.

U.S. LIKES SOME TERRORISTS MORE THAN OTHERS

Lebanese bankers say the US is unlikely to press its request for the freezing of assets held by Hizbollah, the Shia Muslim group.

SOFTWARE WONT SPOT TERROR CASH

The makers of anti-money laundering software used in 75 major banks admit their programs cannot find terrorist cash.

UNITED KINGDOM, HOME OF DIRTY CASH

LONDON. At last the sanctimonious UK begins to admit it may be the money laundering capital of the world.

BRITISH LABOUR CREATES POLICE STATE

LONDON. Tony Blair declares a “public emergency”, suspends human rights, will hold suspects indefinitely without charges. Minister says concerns about liberty are "airy, fairy."

CANADIAN LAWYERS CHALLENGE “HITLER LAW”

VANCOUVER. Canada's 81,000 lawyers should not be government informers, so leading attorneys sue to block a law that does just that.

U.S. SNOOPS WANT HIGH TECH SPYING

WASHINGTON. A government wish list of techno-goodies to spy on you.

SWISS FREEZER BURN

CULLY, Switzerland. Freezing assets here is easy. Thawing out assets is an entirely different story.

LEICHTENSTEIN SQUEAKY CLEAN

This once secretive principality wants to world to know it is now clean.

FREE OR NOT FREE?

HONG KONG is found to be the freest economy in the world for the 8th straight year.

But HK also boosts its power to seize cash and assets.

SUPER POWER E.U.

The head of the EU wants it to be a super power, but not everyone agrees.

And the EU wants total eavesdropping power over the Internet.

GERMAN FINANCIAL CRIMES SOAR

There has been a huge increase in suspected money laundering and tax evasion cases reported since the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks.

GOLD IN THE NEWS

Sales of gold as an investment soared 400% after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

And a multi-billion dollar merger is about to create the world's number one gold mining company.

TERRORIST DEFINITION EXPANDS

New US anti-terrorist laws can be used for routine criminal investigations unrelated to terrorism.

CONGRESS IGNORED

The Bush administration ignores lawmakers as it makes its own laws.

MILITARY TAKES OVER COURTS

Bush orders military tribunals to replace US courts.

BLAIR THE ARROGANT CONTROL FREAK

LONDON. Labour's darling is turning the UK into a police state.

And Amnesty International denounces UK threats to freedom.

O.E.C.D. ANTI-TAX HAVEN THREAT CONTINUES

Last Friday we reported the OECD has again put off its phony sanctions deadline aimed at tax havens.

The Heritage Foundation's Daniel MITCHELL explains why the OECD's deadline extension definitely does not mean anyone can relax.

I.R.S. REGS COULD RUIN U.S. ECONOMY

Dan Mitchell exposes the real threat of IRS regulations that would drive foreign investors from America.

U.S. COURT ORDERS OFFSHORE TRUST TO PAY UP

A federal bankruptcy judge orders a Bahamas trust to repatriate funds.

SWISS EXPLAIN TAX FRAUD POWERS

The top Swiss banker defends his nation against tax evasion charges, reaffirms bank and financial secrecy, pledges cooperation with US.

ICELAND MIRACLE CURE

REYKJAVIK. A 10-year turnaround brought domestic prosperity. Now Iceland plans a new offshore financial and privacy haven.

U.S. DIRTY CASH TASK FORCE QUESTIONED

Experts agree the new US dirty cash police task force is unlikely to succeed, except in destroying financial privacy.

And the sanctimonious United States is estimated to be home to 46% of all world banking and financial crimes.

TONGA’S TINKER TOY TREASURY

Dave BARRY exposes a little noted offshore scandal.

THE COMING DEFLATION?

US industry's recession is the longest since the Great Depression of the 1930s, and the new worry is deflation.

GOLD IN THOSE MERGERS

Experts suggest new corporate combinations of gold mining companies could result in a major upturn in the price of gold.

CLEAN CAUGHT IN DIRTY CASH NET

LIMASSOL, Cyprus. A legitimate financial reporter is caught up by nervous world money laundering laws, US and otherwise.

FORBES “BEST OF THE WEB”

Investing, travel, finances, all worth a look, Forbes magazine's updated "Best of the Web" site lists.

LIBERTY DIMINISHED, BUT FEW CARE

Across Europe, in the UK and the US the anti-terror excuse is used to give police vast new powers and destroy liberty. But does anyone care?

PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS?

Why does the United States elicit such extreme hatred in some parts of the world? Is it the American “pursuit of happiness”?

RONALD REAGAN ON TERRORISM

Said he: "We must remember our heritage, who we are, what we are, and how this nation, this island of freedom, came into being."

U.S. NATIONAL I.D. CARD DEBATE

The anti-terror demand to "do something" fuels the idea of a national identification card for every US person.

But U.S. Rep. Ron PAUL (R-Tex) explains why this would be the ultimate insult to Americans and harm freedom and liberty.

DANGER IN U.S. MILITARY COURTS

The military accuses, tries, convicts and no appeal allowed.

HAVENS SEE O.E.C.D. AS HYPOCRITES

Haven nations say OECD still is dictatorial and high handed.

MUST READ ON SWISS BANKING & SECRECY

A new Financial Times survey gives an excellent analysis of where the Swiss banking and financial services industry stands today.

SECRET WEAPON: SWISS FIDUCIARY DEPOSITS

They offer foreign clients anonymity and no taxes, attracting the wealthy who may want to evade taxes in their own countries.

JEALOUSY OF RICH IS WRONG

A top HONG KONG official decries envy of the rich, says free market spreads wealth to all.

RADICAL NEW U.S. ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING LAW

An excellent survey of radical new US banking and anti-money laundering laws and the costs in liberty.

U.S. SECURITIES DEALERS AS POLICE INFORMANTS

Stock brokers soon must rat on 'suspicious' clients.

IMPOSSIBILITY OF BLOCKING DIRTY CASH

Politicians pass laws, then reality bites.

U.S. ASSET FREEZE LIST

A list in pdf file form of those caught in the US terror asset freeze.

PURSUE OIL OR BIN LADEN?

Has the US gone easy on Arab terrorists because of petroleum needs?

U.S. COURTS HIT TAX PROTESTERS

So-called “tax protesters” are getting the shaft from U.S. courts.

ECONOMISTS & CENTRAL BANKERS LIE

They cannot see into the future, no matter what they claim.

U.S. BUSINESS DEPUTIZED BY TERROR POLICE

The Bush anti-terrorist law forces business to spy on customers.

And the new law also enormously increases police powers.

FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS LOST

Sweeping powers demanded by the US and UK governments.

AMERICAN POLICE STATE

Is the American police state already in place?

THE ANTI-TERROR EXCUSE

New technologies can destroy human privacy and government exploits this situation under cover of anti-terrorism.

POWER PRESIDENT

Are terrorism and war making President Bush a virtual dictator?

The President defends his order creating military tribunals.

But is it a radical curb on constitutional rights?

IDENTITY THEFT TEST

Worried about identity theft? Try taking these precautions.

LATVIAN TAX CUTS

RIGA. To attract offshore business, business taxes cut to the bone.

CHANNEL ISLANDS

GUERNSEY's unusual history and continued success,

SOUTH KOREA PLANS OFFSHORE HAVEN

It claims it will be another Hong Kong, with tax breaks.

AUSTRALIA WANTS MORE PEOPLE

But no more immigration. How does that work?

GOLD ON THE WAY UP?

Having called the top of the gold market 22 years ago, a gold bug thinks he has found the bottom.

POST 9-11 ASSET ALLOCATION

After US terror attacks, here's how to allocate your assets.

U.S. ESTATE TAX CHANGES UPSET SWISS

It may threaten Switzerland’s banking secrecy and could mean trouble for Swiss banks with wealthy clients.

U.S. HITS TAX EVASION

IRS lawyer convicted of tax evasion, tax advisors arrested in tax scams.

OFFSHORE PRICING SAVES U.S. BUSINESS TAXES

$45 billion last year saved with offshore affiliates.

ANTI-TERROR LAW IMPACTS BUSINESS

Privacy issues for companies, workers, customers.

ECHELON’S ORBITING BIG BROTHER

Earth orbiting listening posts are on active duty in the war on terrorism and they could be watching you too.

F.B.I. SECRETLY HACKS COMPUTERS

FBI software will secretly be installed over the Internet as a trojan horse to record every keystroke on your computer.

POST 9-11 IT IS A NEW WORLD OUT THERE

A new international order may not have emerged after Sept. 11, but the outlines of a new world are emerging.

U.S. BANK SPY SYSTEM QUESTIONED

WASHINGTON. Civil liberties and privacy concerns raised about a possible government-banks data spy system.

“TAX HARMONY” DRIVE HURTS U.S.A.

Heritage Foundation's Dan MITCHELL explains why the OECD's 'tax harmonization' drive threatens the US economy.

ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING FOLLIES

Fighting dirty cash gets headlines but few victories.

U.S. SEXUAL SUPER POWER

The U.S. is the sexual super power of the world. Greeks second.

THIS IS AMERICA?

Harry BROWNE, former US presidential candidate, asks what is happening to America.

U.S. NOW SPYING ON INTERNET USERS

Police already are using new anti-terrorism powers to monitor cable modem users without obtaining a search warrant.

SOFTWARE MAY HELP FEDS SPY

A leading US software maker is accused of helping feds snoop.

CANADA RAMS THROUGH POLICE STATE

OTTAWA. Canadian government smothers debate on terror bill.