Terrorist Financing

In this course we will analyze how terrorist organizations fund their operations, and the strategies they use to disrupt financial networks. We will explore revenue streams—from illicit trade to cryptocurrency—and examine U.S. and multilateral sanctions frameworks, including the United Nations and FATF. Students will gain practical knowledge in law enforcement, diplomatic, and intelligence tools for countering terrorist finance, and through structured analytic techniques—such as weighted‐criteria assessments, decision trees, causal‐flow mapping, and formal logic—learn to evaluate risk, trace hidden networks, and develop evidence‐based policy recommendations. By the end of the semester, students will be equipped to dissect funding mechanisms and craft clear, actionable judgments to weaken terrorist financing. International Relations



Jason Blazakis is Professor of the Practice at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and the founding Director of the Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism (CTEC), where he leads cutting-edge research on violent extremism, terrorist financing, and digital radicalization while engaging policymakers and practitioners worldwide. Drawing on nearly two decades of government service—including leadership roles at the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Intelligence Community—his scholarship and policy work have shaped multinational counterterrorism strategies and informed United Nations and FATF initiatives. Prof. Blazakis is sanctioned by the Russian Federation for his writing, research, and testimony (to Parliament and U.S. Congress) on Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine.