Thursday, 14th October 2004

Terrorist bank accounts

Driving home tonight I was listening to the PM programme on Radio 4 (as I generally do at that time of evening) and there was a news item about the Bank of England freezing the bank accounts and assets of any terrorists linked to the murder of Ken Bigley last week.

Apparently, the way this works is that the Bank of England makes a decision and then notifies some 600 banking organisations throughout the UK who are instructed to suspend the accounts of anyone linked to the terrorists. HOW DO THEY KNOW??

I don't recollect a section on the application form, asking if you're a terrorist or you want to transfer money from your account to some offshore arms trading account. Plus, any /actual/ terrorists listening to the news would be forewarned to transfer all their ill-gotten funds into their Auntie Maisie's saving account (the bank would never suspect her.....)

Also, what's to stop me (or you) drawing out 500 quid in cash, wrapping it in a plain paper bag and passing it to that dodgy looking bloke with the beard, sitting on the park bench and wearing a turban? No, I suspect the whole reason for the 'story' was to fool the public that the authorities were doing something (other than funding the terrorists in the first place!). However, to think that they can actually close Mr Terrorist's piggy bank account seems rather naive to me - unless there is another agenda that we don't know about!

Funny old weather recently! My barometer tends to indicate it's going to get worse before it gets better, so actually got around to buying a new pair of shoes today (and a new shirt - so should do my little bit to boost the profits of M&S). Now I can go out in the rain without getting wet feet, so that will be nice.

Walked back to the office, but I didn't spot any blokes with beards and turbans loitering around the park, so I guess my bank account is safe for the time being - at least until I visit M&S again.

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