U.S. Treasury Official On Strategies To Disrupt ISIS's Finances

07:23

December 04, 2015

A member of the Syrian government forces stands next to a well at Jazel oil field, near the ancient city of Palmyra in the east of Homs province after they retook the area from Islamic State group fighters on March 9, 2015. Recent U.S.-led coalition airstrikes have frequently targeted oil facilities run by ISIS jihadists, who according to some estimates earn more than $1 million per day from oil sales. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

As the U.S. and coalition groups escalate airstrikes against ISIS oilfields and production facilities, another strategy is also underway: targeting the group's multiple sources of revenue.

ISIS may be the richest terrorist organization in the world, according to the U.S. government, and it has diversified how it gets that money, including extortion, looting and selling oil.

Here & Now's Indira Lakshmanan talks with Adam Szubin, acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, about what the U.S. is doing to disrupt ISIS's funding.

Szubin says that the key to weakening and ultimately destroying the group is to not just target its revenue but its ability to spend money in its territories.

Related: For ISIS, Diversification Of Funding Is Key

Guest

Adam Szubin, acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence at the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

This segment aired on December 4, 2015.