On Wednesday, OFAC made the following changes to sanctions programs:
1) Removed the following counter terrorism sanctions listings:
AL-JIHAD (a.k.a. EGYPTIAN AL-JIHAD; a.k.a. EGYPTIAN ISLAMIC JIHAD; a.k.a. JIHAD GROUP; a.k.a. NEW JIHAD) [FTO] [SDGT] [SDT].EGYPTIAN AL-JIHAD (a.k.a. AL-JIHAD; a.k.a. EGYPTIAN ISLAMIC JIHAD; a.k.a. JIHAD GROUP; a.k.a. NEW JIHAD) [FTO] [SDGT] [SDT].NEW JIHAD (a.k.a. AL-JIHAD; a.k.a. EGYPTIAN AL-JIHAD; a.k.a. EGYPTIAN ISLAMIC JIHAD; a.k.a. JIHAD GROUP) [FTO] [SDGT] [SDT].EGYPTIAN ISLAMIC JIHAD (a.k.a. AL-JIHAD; a.k.a. EGYPTIAN AL-JIHAD; a.k.a. JIHAD GROUP; a.k.a. NEW JIHAD) [FTO] [SDGT] [SDT].JIHAD GROUP (a.k.a. AL-JIHAD; a.k.a. EGYPTIAN AL-JIHAD; a.k.a. EGYPTIAN ISLAMIC JIHAD; a.k.a. NEW JIHAD) [FTO] [SDGT] [SDT].SALAH, Muhammad (a.k.a. HASANAYN, Nasr Fahmi Nasr) (individual) [SDGT].HASANAYN, Nasr Fahmi Nasr (a.k.a. SALAH, Muhammad) (individual) [SDGT].
2) Removed the following Transnational Criminal Organization (TCO) designation:
DRISCOLL, Mary Ann, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; DOB 01 Jun 1950 to 30 Jun 1950; nationality Canada (individual) [TCO] (Linked To: CHEXX INC.; Linked To: INDIAN RIVER (UK) LTD.; Linked To: PACNET GROUP).
3) Updated the following counter terrorism listings:
AL-JAZIRI, Abu Bakr, Peshawar, Pakistan; nationality Algeria (individual) [SDGT]. -to- BOULGHITI, Boubekeur (a.k.a. BOULGHIT, Boubakeur; a.k.a. “AL DJAZAIRI, Abou Bakr”; a.k.a. “AL-JAZARI, Yasir”; a.k.a. “AL-JAZIRI, Abou Yasser”; a.k.a. “AL-JAZIRI, Abu Bakr”; a.k.a. “EL DJAZAIRI, Abou Yasser”), Peshawar, Pakistan; DOB 13 Feb 1970; POB Rouiba, Algiers, Algeria; nationality Algeria; Gender Male (individual) [SDGT].AL-QA’IDA IN THE ARABIAN PENINSULA (a.k.a. AL-QA’IDA IN THE SOUTH ARABIAN PENINSULA; a.k.a. AL-QA’IDA IN YEMEN; a.k.a. AL-QA’IDA OF JIHAD ORGANIZATION IN THE ARABIAN PENINSULA; a.k.a. AL-QA’IDA ORGANIZATION IN THE ARABIAN PENINSULA; a.k.a. ANSAR AL SHARIAH; a.k.a. ANSAR AL-SHARI’A; a.k.a. ANSAR AL-SHARIA; a.k.a. ANSAR AL-SHARIAH; a.k.a. PARTISANS OF ISLAMIC LAW; a.k.a. TANZIM QA’IDAT AL-JIHAD FI JAZIRAT AL-ARAB; a.k.a. “AQAP”; a.k.a. “AQY”), Yemen; Saudi Arabia [FTO] [SDGT]. -to- AL-QA’IDA IN THE ARABIAN PENINSULA (a.k.a. AL-QA’IDA IN THE SOUTH ARABIAN PENINSULA; a.k.a. AL-QA’IDA IN YEMEN; a.k.a. AL-QA’IDA OF JIHAD ORGANIZATION IN THE ARABIAN PENINSULA; a.k.a. AL-QA’IDA ORGANIZATION IN THE ARABIAN PENINSULA; a.k.a. ANSAR AL SHARIAH; a.k.a. ANSAR AL-SHARI’A; a.k.a. ANSAR AL-SHARIA; a.k.a. ANSAR AL-SHARIAH; a.k.a. PARTISANS OF ISLAMIC LAW; a.k.a. TANZIM QA’IDAT AL-JIHAD FI JAZIRAT AL-ARAB; a.k.a. “AQAP”; a.k.a. “AQY”; a.k.a. “CIVIL COUNCIL OF HADRAMAWT”; a.k.a. “NATIONAL HADRAMAWT COUNCIL”; a.k.a. “SONS OF ABYAN”; a.k.a. “SONS OF HADRAMAWT”; a.k.a. “SONS OF HADRAMAWT COMMITTEE”), Yemen; Saudi Arabia [FTO] [SDGT].HIZBALLAH (a.k.a. ANSAR ALLAH; a.k.a. FOLLOWERS OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMED; a.k.a. ISLAMIC JIHAD; a.k.a. ISLAMIC JIHAD FOR THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE; a.k.a. ISLAMIC JIHAD ORGANIZATION; a.k.a. ORGANIZATION OF RIGHT AGAINST WRONG; a.k.a. ORGANIZATION OF THE OPPRESSED ON EARTH; a.k.a. PARTY OF GOD; a.k.a. REVOLUTIONARY JUSTICE ORGANIZATION); Additional Sanctions Information – Subject to Secondary Sanctions Pursuant to the Hizballah Financial Sanctions Regulations [FTO] [SDGT] [SDT] [SYRIA]. -to- HIZBALLAH (a.k.a. ANSAR ALLAH; a.k.a. EXTERNAL SECURITY ORGANIZATION OF HEZBOLLAH; a.k.a. FOLLOWERS OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMED; a.k.a. HIZBALLAH ESO; a.k.a. HIZBALLAH INTERNATIONAL; a.k.a. ISLAMIC JIHAD; a.k.a. ISLAMIC JIHAD FOR THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE; a.k.a. ISLAMIC JIHAD ORGANIZATION; a.k.a. LEBANESE HEZBOLLAH; a.k.a. LEBANESE HIZBALLAH; a.k.a. ORGANIZATION OF RIGHT AGAINST WRONG; a.k.a. ORGANIZATION OF THE OPPRESSED ON EARTH; a.k.a. PARTY OF GOD; a.k.a. REVOLUTIONARY JUSTICE ORGANIZATION; a.k.a. “ESO”; a.k.a. “EXTERNAL SECURITY ORGANIZATION”; a.k.a. “EXTERNAL SERVICES ORGANIZATION”; a.k.a. “FOREIGN ACTION UNIT”; a.k.a. “FOREIGN RELATIONS DEPARTMENT”; a.k.a. “FRD”; a.k.a. “LH”; a.k.a. “SPECIAL OPERATIONS BRANCH”); Additional Sanctions Information – Subject to Secondary Sanctions Pursuant to the Hizballah Financial Sanctions Regulations [FTO] [SDGT] [SDT] [SYRIA].
Note that the last listing is also designated under the Syrian sanctions program.
And the State Department issued the following press release about the updated listings:
State Department Amendments to the Terrorist Designations of Hizballah and al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula
Media NoteOffice of the SpokespersonWashington, DCJune 21, 2017
The Department of State has amended the designation of Hizballah as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under section 1(b) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 and as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to add aliases including Lebanese Hizballah, which is frequently used to refer to the group, as well as the Foreign Relations Department (FRD) and the External Security Organization (ESO), key components of the terror organization. The Department of State has also amended the designation of al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) as an SDGT under section 1(b) of E.O. 13224 and as an FTO under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to add the aliases Sons of Abyan, Sons of Hadramawt, Sons of Hadramawt Committee, Civil Council of Hadramawt, and National Hadramawt Council.
U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with Hizballah or AQAP, and all property and interests in property of the organizations subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked. In addition, knowingly providing, or attempting or conspiring to provide, material support or resources to the organizations is prohibited.
Hizballah, which was originally designated as an FTO in 1997, operates through, among other parts of the group, its branches the FRD and the ESO, also known as the Islamic Jihad Organization. The FRD maintains Hizballah’s public presence around the world. The branch is led by senior Hizballah member Ali Damush, designated by the Department of State as an SDGT in January 2017. The FRD is involved in covert operations around the globe, which include recruiting, fundraising and gathering intelligence on behalf of Hizballah.
Hizballah’s ESO was established by now-deceased Hizballah leader Imad Mughniyah and was led by Talal Hamiyah as of September 2012. The branch is responsible for planning and carrying out Hizballah attacks outside of Lebanon. The attacks have primarily targeted Israelis and Americans.
Sons of Abyan, Sons of Hadramawt, Sons of Hadramawt Committee, Civil Council of Hadramawt, and National Hadramawt Council all serve as proxies or cover organizations for AQAP, which was designated as an FTO in 2010. AQAP uses these proxies to help govern the territories it controls, and to manage issues such as administration, economics, security, and building relationships with citizens.
Today’s actions notify the U.S. public and the international community that the terrorist organizations Hizballah and AQAP operate under and/or are known by a variety of other names. Terrorism designations expose and isolate organizations and individuals, and result in denial of access to the U.S. financial system. Moreover, designations can assist or complement the law enforcement actions of other U.S. agencies and other governments.
A list of State Department-designated FTOs and SDGTs is available here: http://www.state.gov/j/ct/list/index.htm.
Links:
State Department Press Release
Filed under: Al-Qaida, Hizballah / Hezbollah, OFAC Updates, Organized Crime Sanctions, Sanctions Lists, Syrian Sanctions, Terrorism
