Terrorism blacklist

Global ‘terror’ database leak reveals 2.2mn people tracked by spy agencies

Thomson Reuters are reportedly “working feverishly” to recover more than 2.2 million records which form their ‘World Check’ database of “heightened risk individuals and entities” used by governments, banks, and law firms around the world.

Reddit user Chris Vickery says he obtained a copy of the database, although he won’t reveal how until “a later time.”

The security researcher says the database is from mid-2014 and contains millions of “heightened-risk individuals and organizations,” which it places in one or more of a number of categories, including terrorism, money laundering, organized crime, bribery, corruption, and “other unsavory activities.”

Forming part of the company’s “risk management solutions,” Thomson Reuters says it’s used by more than 300 government and intelligence agencies around the world, as well as 49 of the world’s top 50 banks and nine of the top 10 global law firms.

To access the database, customers must pay an annual subscription charge, which can reach up to $1 million, according to Vice, with potential subscribers then vetted before approval.