A federal anti-terror agency in an internal memo said it saw no evidence that the millions of dollars raised by the Freedom Convoy were intended to be used for terrorism..“Seems unlikely,” wrote experts three weeks before cabinet froze accounts of convoy sympathizers under the Proceeds Of Crime And Terrorist Financing Act, according to Blacklock's Reporter..“All ideologically motivated violent extremist attacks in Canada have been low cost and low in sophistication,” wrote managers at the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre. “The potential for funds being used for violent activity seems unlikely at this time considering ideologically motivated violent extremist crowdfunding is usually not used towards conducting violent activity.”.The memo was dated January 26, two days before protesters arrived outside Parliament. Cabinet froze convoy sympathizers’ accounts February 14..“The funds could potentially be diverted towards legal costs should the need arise or simply used as stated by the organizer, i.e. for fuel, food and accommodations,” said the Analysis Centre..The Freedom Convoy raised $24.5 million in a month on the crowdfunding sites GoFundMe and GiveSendGo. Most contributions, 59%, were from Canadians..“It wasn’t cash that funded terrorism or was in any way money laundering,” Barry MacKillop, deputy director of the Reports Analysis Centre, testified at a February 24 hearing of the Commons finance committee. “These were people who supported the cause before it was declared illegal.”.“There were people around the world who were fed up with COVID and were upset and saw the demonstrations,” said MacKillop. “I believe they just wanted to support the cause.”.“There are many other ways, probably easier ways, to launder cash or collect money for terrorist activity,” said MacKillop..Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland on February 14 claimed crowdfunding sites “are being used to support illegal blockades and illegal activity which is damaging the Canadian economy.” All $24.5 million was donated before cabinet declared the Parliament Hill protest an illegal assembly under the Emergencies Act..Crowdfunding was suspended by a Government of Ontario court order and a request from Ottawa’s mayor on claims protesters committed acts of violence. “We all discussed the information being received stating there were acts of violence, damage, destruction and harassment,” Kim Wilford, general counsel for GoFundMe, earlier testified at the Commons public safety committee..Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino also claimed the Freedom Convoy was dangerous. “At the core of the movement is anger, animosity and in far too many cases violence,” Mendicino told reporters on February 16..“What we’re beginning to see emerge are the hallmarks of a sophisticated and capable organization of a small number of individuals but with a steel resolve driven by an extreme ideology that would seek to overthrow the existing government,” said Mendicino. “There’s a real danger in trivializing and diminishing what’s going on,” he added.
