Terrorist groups frequently operate as criminal organizations, engaging in activities such as drug trafficking, robberies and extortion, in order to finance their terrorist operations.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the most notorious, barbaric terrorist group at the moment, ISIS, is now officially the richest terrorist group of all time, according to Forbes Israel. Hamas, another Islamist terrorist organization, is in second place.

In addition to their criminal activities, the terrorist groups also raise substantial funds through “charities,” donations, and, incredibly, in some cases by government agencies.

As surreal as it is to be discussing ISIS in terms of a typical business model, the Forbes report also discussed how ISIS acquires and pays for various tasks similar to most other large organizations, including maintenance, salaries, training, acquisition of weapons and vehicles.

Not content with listing the richest men or women in the world, Forbes also provided a ranking of the ten richest terrorist organizations, including their net worth and rankings.

ISIS has an annual income of $2 billion. The terrorists in second place is Hamas, which takes in $1 billion annually. In third place is a non-Middle Eastern terrorist organization, one that has been around for a long time: the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – the People’s Army (FARC), which rakes in $600 million annually.

In fourth through sixth place are more Middle Eastern Islamic terrorist groups: Hezbollah ($500 million), the Taliban ($400 million), and Al-Qaeda and affiliates ($150 million).

In 7th place is another Islamic group, the Pakistan-based Lashkar e-taiba ($100 million). This group was behind the deadly Mombai bombings in late fall of 2008.

In eighth and tenth places are two more Islamist groups, both based in Africa. In eighth place is Al-Shabab ($70 million), and tenth place is Boko Haram ($25 million).

In ninth place is what is known as “Real IRA,” with an annual take of $50 million. This group also calls itself the “Volunteers of Ireland,” and is perhaps the oldest and best known of all the groups, at least tracing back to its original version, the Irish Volunteers, established in the early 20th century, later evolving into the Irish Republican Army. Former members formed the RIRA due to dissatisfaction over the IRA’s ceasefire agreement.

According to the Forbes report, Hamas entered “the big league” as the result of its takeover of Gaza in 2007.

Hooray for democracy.

If there was a contest for most bloodthirsty, amoral murdering groups in the world at the moment, al-Shabab would qualify at least for the final round, along with ISIS and Boko Haram.

So it is a relief to end this blood-soaked week with a report of the Pentagon confirming that Ahmed Godane, the undisputed leader (because he killed off any contenders) of al-Shabab, was eliminated by a U.S. drone attack last week. The Somalian Prime Minister also confirmed Godane’s death.

For those who can’t keep their murderous Islamic groups straight, al-Shabab is the group that attacked the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, slaughtering at least 67 people during a four-day siege.

“The attack at Westgate Mall was to torment the Kenyan leaders who’ve impulsively invaded [Somalia]. It was also a retribution against the Western states that supported the Kenyan invasion and are spilling the blood of innocent Muslims in order to pave the way for their mineral companies,” Godane said at the time.

Godane came on the international radar screen back in 2003, when he was believed to be responsible for the murder of a British couple who were teachers in Somaliland.

When the United States backed Ethiopia’s invasion of Somalia to rid the country of the terrorist organization known as the Islamic Courts Union, Godane was already a rising star in the al-Shabab terrorist group which took it upon themselves to oust the foreign, Christian assault on their fellow Muslim Islamic Courts.

Under Godane’s leadership, al-Shabab ventured beyond Somalia’s borders,, with attacks in several countries, including suicide bombings in Uganda which resulted in nearly 100 deaths.

In 2009, Godane released a jihadist video called entitled “At your service, Osama.” In the video he urged all Somalis to follow the al Qaeda leader, and vowed that “the wars will not end until Islamic Sharia is implemented in all continents in the world.”

Following the death of Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda welcomed Godane’s overture and he pledged al-Shabab’s allegiance to al Qaeda in 2012.

Al-Shabab is estimated to have at least 5000 fighters, dozens of whom are from the west.

And now its leader is dead, killed when his convoy was attacked by a U.S. UAV missile on Monday, Sept. 1, in Southern Somalia.

Israel was among the countries that warned Kenya’s government about the high risk of a terrorist attack in the months before last week’s attack on a Nairobi mall.

“Israel had warned of attacks on their business interests, but apart from just being tossed from one office to another, nothing was taken out of the intelligence reports,” an anonymous official told the French news agency AFP in a report released Sunday.

A report in the Kenyan daily The Nation, citing a leaked intelligence report, said the treasury, interior, foreign affairs and defense ministers, as well as the army chief, had been told of the high risk of a terror attack, according to AFP.

AFP cited security sources as saying that “Israeli services are playing a lead role in the ongoing investigation into the attack.”

Israeli defense officials last week confirmed that a security team arrived in Nairobi within hours of the hostage crisis at the Westgate Mall. The officials said the team advised Kenya authorities on the terrorist standoff at the upscale mall and did not include combat units.

At least 68 people were killed in the four-day siege, in which non-Muslims were singled out for death. Some 175 people were injured in the attack.

One Israeli was injured and three others escaped harm, according to Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Several Americans also were injured.

The five-story shopping center features several Israeli-owned outlets, according to wire services. Among them is the ArtCaffe — the attack by eight gunmen took place near the coffee shop and bakery.

Members of al Shabab, a Somalia-based terror group linked to al-Qaida, claimed responsibility for the attack. Al Shabab said the attack was revenge for Kenya’s military operations in Somalia that began nearly two years ago.

Seven members of the terrorist organization known as al-Shabab, an al Qaeda offshoot, exploded a bomb outside the UN headquarters in Mogadishu, Somalia on Wednesday, June 19.

The terrorists detonated a truck rigged with explosives at the gate to the compound. Seven of the attackers died and nine others were killed, bringing the total dead to 16.  After the truck exploded, terrorists poured in and briefly took control of the compound.

African Union and Somali security forces responded and took control of the compound following a 90 minute gun battle. The UN staff who sought refuge in the compound’s secure bunker then were evacuated to the secure military base and airport complex across the street, Ben Parker, a spokesman for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia, said, according to CTVNews.

The UN had only recently expanded its presence in Mogadishu, believing control over the area by Islamic terrorists had receded. The hope that al Shabab had been routed by African Union peacekeeping forces was punctured by Wednesday’s bombing.

“The United Nations Common Compound houses UN personnel working on humanitarian and development issues for the Somali people. This was an act of blatant terrorism and a desperate attempt to knock Somalia off its path of recovery and peace building,” said Nicholas  Kay, the top UN official in Somalia.

Al Shabab is an army of radicalized clerics and fighters trained in Pakistan.  They are committed to overthrowing Somalia’s government,and seek to impose Islamic Sharia – a political religious ideology. Al Shabab became affiliated with al Qaeda in 2010.

Al Shabab was thought to have been largely defeated in Mogadishu, a city it occupied and ruled for four years until most of its fighters were driven out in 2012 by African Union peacekeeping forces.