Isis partly funded by Syrian looted artefacts worth up to $1m – but who is buying them?

A BBC investigation found the precious goods being trafficked across the Syrian border are providing a major source of funding for Isis, just weeks after British MPs warned collectors in the Gulf states are fuelling the multimillion-pound trade.

One Syrian man explained how he would smuggle valuable artefacts from Aleppo to the border, where he would pay a taxi driver to covertly transport the goods into Turkey and Lebanon.

Another ‘middle-man’ identified only as Ahmed said Isis has an active role in controlling the trade of looted artefacts. "They come from the east of Syria, from Raqqa, all the areas controlled by Isis," he explained.

He claimed those wanting to excavate sites must get permission from Isis inspectors, who monitor the finds and take 20 per cent as a tax.

Looted pieces include statues of animals, vases, gold coins and glasses – with one artefact reportedly fetching $1.1m (£800,000). Ahmed claimed that item dated back to the year 8500BC.

Lebanese policeman Lt Col Nicholas Saad, who has overseen major raids in Lebanon, said Syrian artefacts usually end up in one place. "Lebanon is a transit station, it's one of the the doors that goes to Europe," he explained. "The real money is made in Europe."

His suggestion was echoed by Dr Maamoun Abdulkarim, the archaeologist in charge of Syria's department of antiquities in Damascus, who added: "We are sure through all the sources a lot of objects go from Syria to Europe, in Switzerland, in Germany, in UK - and Gulf countries like Dubai and Qatar.”

No-one in the UK has ever been arrested for selling looted Syrian artefacts but Vernon Rapley, the former head of the Metropolitan Police's art and antiquities squad said he was "quite confident that there have been seizures of material like this".

Elijah J. Magnier, Al Rai's chief international correspondent, told The Independent Isis funds itself through a variety of sources, aside from antiquities, oil revenue and kidnap ransoms.

(independent.co.uk)