This points to the urgent need for legal professionals to strengthen their anti-money laundering compliance measures and vigilance to avoid facilitating such illicit activities, whether knowingly or unwittingly.  

The report by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) highlights serious and evolving terrorist financing risks and warns of gaps in countries’ abilities to fully understand terrorism financing trends and thus respond effectively. 

• View the July 2025 FATF report

Overview of findings

The report:

• underscores that unless both the public and private sectors urgently bolster technical compliance and effectiveness, those seeking to finance terrorism will continue to exploit vulnerabilities;

• includes case studies spanning more than 10 years to provide a comprehensive overview of the factors influencing TF risks;

• outlines current and evolving methods employed by terrorist organisations and individuals to raise, move, store, and use funds and assets, including cash transportation, hawala and other similar service providers, money value transfer services, online payment services, formal financial services, digital platforms (including social media and crowdfunding features), Virtual Assets, and the abuse of legal entities, such as shell companies, trusts and non-profit organisations (NPOs);

• outlines key recommendations aimed at enhancing the Global Network efforts in understanding and responding to TF, including strengthening international cooperation and developing targeted public private partnerships;

• provides a set of practical risk indicators (e.g. customer behaviour, indicators relevant to services among sectors subject to AML/CFT regulations) to help competent authorities, the private sector and other stakeholders to detect and suppress terrorist financing, such as patterns in payments, travel activity, and social media activity (see Annex A of the FATF report); and

• mentions that: “Terrorist entities with large networks and investments, businesses, and assets spanning multiple jurisdictions are also reported as increasingly using professional enablers (e.g., lawyers, accountants) to facilitate their financing networks.” (page 25).

AML resources

For more information and support on AML compliance including an AML helpline for solicitors, visit the AML section of the website.