DivestTerror.org

$200 BILLION WORTH OF STOCK HELD IN COMPANIES DOING BUSINESS IN ROGUE STATES

(Washington, D.C.): The Center for Security Policy released today a ground-breaking report entitled Terrorism Investments of the 50 States, which found that America’s 100 largest and most prominent public pension systems hold in their portfolios some $200 billion worth of stock in public companies that do business in terrorist-sponsoring states. The report makes clear that this investment translates conservatively into $73 billion worth of business with — and financial life-support for — the regimes in question, and vital resources for the terrorists they aid and abet. Fortunately, it also represents leverage for Americans and the public pension plans that represent millions of them, leverage that can be used to open a new, and potentially decisive financial front in the war on terror.

"We cannot hope to prevail in this war unless and until we cut off the billions of dollars flowing to terrorist-sponsoring regimes from America’s state pension funds via investments in companies doing business with such regimes," said Frank J. Gaffney, Jr., president of the Center for Security Policy. "This report should serve as a wake-up call to state officials who have the power to ensure that public pension funds invest so as to support – rather than undermine – our efforts to defeat the terrorists."

Gaffney added, "We are hopeful that this report and the accompanying DivestTerror.org campaign will catalyze close scrutiny of public pension funds at every level of government and, in turn, the portfolios of college endowments and other institutional and private stockholders. Where such investments are in companies that help terrorist-sponsoring nations, they should be divested."

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