Bulgarian competent authorities gathered in Sofia on 3 – 4 November 2026 for a case-based workshop on detecting, investigating and prosecuting terrorist financing (TF), and recovering related assets.
Sessions covered the legal elements of terrorist financing offences, the evidence needed to establish knowledge and intent, and the challenges investigators face when tracing funds. Participants examined financing methods ranging from small transfers by family members to larger networks. They discussed how funds could move through cash couriers, informal transfer systems, non-profit organisations, crypto-assets and other digital payment services. Discussions also highlighted that new technologies have not displaced traditional methods such as cash and hawala.
Trainers emphasised the importance of coordination between financial intelligence units, police, intelligence services and prosecutors. Financial intelligence reports and declassified intelligence information can provide investigative leads, but further investigation and corroboration are needed before such information can support a prosecution. Participants also discussed the importance of examining financial activity in the context of wider terrorism investigations.
Other topics included international cooperation, crypto-asset investigations and asset recovery. Participants considered the challenges of tracing funds across borders and securing evidence for use in court. They also discussed alternative legal or administrative measures that authorities may use when the evidence does not support a terrorist financing charge.
The workshop included practical exercises using sanitised international case studies and group exercises based on real-life terrorist financing cases. Participants analysed issues including detection, legal qualification, evidence, international cooperation and confiscation, with a focus on how each case could be addressed under Bulgarian law.
The activity was organised within the framework of the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) project on “Enhancing the anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) framework in Bulgaria”. The project is co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe.
