Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Trafficking, Smuggling, and Use for Criminality by Terrorists and Insurgents: A Brief Historical Overview

This report provides a brief historical overview of small arms and light weapons (SALW) trafficking, smuggling, and use for criminality by terrorists and insurgents. Using historical and contemporary examples, it outlines the use of SALW as both a source of terrorist financing and tools of the trade. This report is the fourth in a series on SALW as a source of finance for terrorist organisations, with the first three reports offering a snapshot of this phenomenon across different regions.

Other reports in the series include:

• ICCT Situation Report: The Use of SALW by Terrorist Organisations as a Source of Finance in the Middle East and North Africa. Read the report here.
   
• ICCT Situation Report: The Use of SALW by Terrorist Organisations as a Source of Finance in South and Southeast Asia. Read the report here.
   
• ICCT Situation Report: The Use of SALW by Terrorist Organisations as a Source of Finance in West Africa and the Horn of Africa. Read the report here.
   
• Synthesis Report: The Use of Small Arms and Light Weapons by Terrorist Organisations as a Source of Finance. Read the report here.