Global South World - New York https://www.globalsouthworld.com en-US 9/11: When terrorist money looked ordinary https://www.globalsouthworld.com/article/9-11-when-terrorist-money-looked-ordinary https://www.globalsouthworld.com/article/9-11-when-terrorist-money-looked-ordinary?feed=New%20York Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:47:02 Z The 9/11 Commission estimated that the plot cost between $400,000 and $500,000, with more than $270,000 spent in the United States . The hijackers opened bank accounts in their own names and used wire transfers, debit cards, cash and ordinary purchases. No financial institution filed a Suspicious Activity Report on them, as investigators later concluded that their transactions alone gave banks little reason to do so.

Financial records became more useful once investigators knew who they were looking for. Bank accounts, ATM withdrawals and payments helped investigators identify addresses, locations and connections. After the attacks, the USA PATRIOT Act expanded requirements for identifying customers and sharing financial information, while the Financial Action Task Force expanded its work on terrorist financing. Attempts to create a financial profile that could identify future terrorists, however, failed because ordinary activities such as paying tuition, travelling or receiving international transfers could not reliably distinguish a suspect from anyone else.

]]> Global South World 9/11: When terrorist money looked ordinary Building communities one game at a time: New York businesses open their doors to global football fans https://www.globalsouthworld.com/article/building-communities-one-game-at-a-time-new-york-businesses-open-their-doors-to-global-football-fans https://www.globalsouthworld.com/article/building-communities-one-game-at-a-time-new-york-businesses-open-their-doors-to-global-football-fans?feed=New%20York Sat, 18 Jul 2026 08:18:00 Z But by the time the tournament got underway, it was clear that ticket prices, at least, were not as threatening as anticipated, as fans packed the stadiums to support their national teams.

For fans who could not make it to the stadium, some businesses across New York City afforded them the opportunity to experience the tournament in a near stadium-like atmosphere: space permitting. Restaurants, stores, community centres, and even barbershops across New York City opened up their doors to fans to watch their national teams play even if they had no plans of making any purchases. 

In Brooklyn’s Prospect Park neighbourhood, the Bantama African and Caribbean market on East 21st Street provided such an environment for Ghanaians living nearby to gather to watch all the matches. 

The Guatemalan-owned IX restaurant on Lincoln Road in Prospect Park also opened its doors to fans. But IX did not just provide a viewing experience, the owners went all out to decorate the space with, among others, flags of the competing nations. 

Chef and owner of IX, Jorge Cardenas, said the restaurant sought to create an atmosphere of unity where fans from across the world could gather to dine and indulge in their passion for football. He said they also made snacks from across the world to make the experience a truly international one for football fans. 

Video features: Jorge Cardenas, Chef and Owner of IX Restaurant

About author

Nii Akrofi Smart-Abbey is an award-winning international journalist, writer, and host of the A55 Podcast. Nii Akrofi has worked with local and international media in Ghana, Congo and the United States . He has contributed to news platforms like Zenger News, Africanews, W42ndST, and foreignpresscorrespondents.com.

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