U.S. officials are investigating how ISIS is obtaining the large number of Toyota pickup trucks and SUVs frequently seen in its numerous propaganda videos filmed in Iraq, Syria and Libya.
Toyota, who is "supporting" the investigation headed by the U.S. Treasury's Terror Financing unit — which is part of a larger U.S. effort to prevent Western-made goods from falling into the hands of ISIS — insists that it doesn't know how ISIS obtained the vehicles.
"We briefed Treasury on Toyota's supply chains in the Middle East and the procedures that Toyota has in place to protect supply chain integrity," said Ed Lewis, Toyota's Washington-based director of public policy and communications, according to ABC News.
He noted that while Toyota has a strict policy to not sell vehicles to customers who may use or modify them for terrorist use, it is impossible for the company to track vehicles that have either been stolen or bought and re-sold by middlemen.
ISIS propaganda videos filmed in Iraq, Syria and Libya depict multiple Hilux and Land Cruiser vehicles emblazoned with ISIS seals, reported the Week. In the assortment of clips, ISIS can be seen doing a multitude of activities ranging from patrolling to racing.
Lewis suggested the inquiry will focus on an assortment of private companies.
"Our understanding is that Treasury has been conducting a broad review of supply chains and the flow of goods into the Middle East, including financial institutions, manufacturers and energy companies," he said, according to CNN.
The Treasury Department declined to comment on which companies, but said they are "working closely with foreign counterparts and stakeholders" on the issue, noting its end goal is to understand, and eventually quell, ISIS' financial and economic activities.
