LONDON, (Reuters) – The militants who killed 130 people in Paris, triggering waves of air strikes on Syria and security alerts around the world, may have spent as little as around 7,000 euros ($7,500) to stage their attacks.
World leaders scrambled to crack down on terrorist financing after the Nov. 13 assaults, which have been claimed by Islamic State in retaliation for strikes on Iraq and Syria.
Within days, France and Belgium announced 1 billion euros worth of additional security measures.
In contrast, the attacks themselves, requiring little more than Kalashnikovs and ammunition, homemade suicide belts, rental cars and apartments, suggest that the eight attackers spent relatively little to kill indiscriminately and sow fear and confusion.
The Sept. 11 attacks on Washington and New York cost between $400,000 and $500,000, according to the independent 9/11 Commission, a sum that covered pilot training for the hijackers, flights and living expenses over an extended period of training and preparation.
A Reuters calculation has estimated the Paris attacks – which killed mainly young people enjoying a Friday evening out at bars, restaurants, the Stade de France sports stadium and the Bataclan concert venue – could have cost less than around 2 percent of that.
