March 18, 2015: SECO adds to Syrian sanctions listings

On March 18th, Swiss regulators added the following seven individuals:

SSID: 200-30613 Name: Bayan Bitar

Good quality a.k.a.: Dr Bayan Al-Bitar Address: P.O.Box 11037, Damascus, Syrian Arab
Republic Nationality: Syrian Arab Republic

Justification: a) Managing Director of the Organisation for Technological Industries (OTI),
and the Syrian Company for Information Technology (SCIT), which are both subsidiaries of
the Syrian Ministry of Defence, which has been designated. b) OTI assists in the production
of chemical weapons for the Syrian regime. Relation: a) Managing Director of the
Organisation for Technological Industries (OTI) (SSID 200-30694) b) Managing Director of
the Syrian Company for Information Technology (SCIT) (SSID 200-30703) Other
information: As Managing Director of OTI and the SCIT Bayan Bitar provides support to the
Syrian regime. Due to his role in the production of chemical weapons, he also shares
responsibility for the violent repression against the Syrian population. In view of his senior
position in these entities, he is also associated with the designated entities OTI and SCIT.
Modifications: Listed on 18 Mar 2015

SSID: 200-30620 Name: Ghassan Abbas

Title: Brigadier General Address: a) CERS, Centre d’Etude et de Recherche Scientifique,
Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic b) SSRC, Scientific Studies and Research Center; Centre
de Recherche de Kaboun Barzeh Street, P.O.Box 4470, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic
Justification: a) Manager of the branch of the designated Syrian Scientific Studies and
Research Centre (SSRC/CERS) near Jumraya/Jmraiya. b) He has been involved in the
proliferation of chemical weapons and the organisation of chemical weapons attacks,
including in Ghouta in Aug 2013. He therefore shares responsibility for the violent repression
against the Syrian population. c) As manager of the SSRC/CERS branch near
Jumraya/Jmraiya, Ghassan Abbas provides support to the Syrian regime. d) As a result of
his senior position in the SSRC, he is also associated with the designated entity SSRC.
Relation: Manager of the Centre d’études et de recherches syrien (CERS) (SSID 200-
12445) Modifications: Listed on 18 Mar 2015

SSID: 200-30629 Name: Wael Abdulkarim

Good quality a.k.a.: Wael Al Karim Address: a) Pangates International Corp Ltd, Sharjah
Airport International Free Zone, United Arab Emirates b) Al Karim for Trade and Industry,
P.O.Box 111, Damascus, 5797, Syrian Arab Republic c) Morgan Additives, Office No 2206,
22nd Floor, Jafza View 19, Besides Jafza View 18, Sheikh Zayed Road, Jebel Ali Free Zone
Authority, United Arab Emirates

Justification: a) Managing Director of the designated entity Pangates International Corp
Ltd, which acts as an intermediary in the supply of oil to the Syrian regime. b) As Managing
Director of Pangates, Wael Abdulkarim provides support to, and benefits from, the Syrian
regime. He also holds a senior position in the designated entity Al Karim Group, which is
Pangates’ parent company. c) As a result of his senior positions in Pangates and Al Karim
Group, he is also associated with these designated entities. Relation: Managing Director of
Pangates International Corp Ltd (SSID 200-29924) Modifications: Listed on 18 Mar 2015

SSID: 200-30640 Name: Ahmad Barqawi

Good quality a.k.a.: Ahmed Barqawi Address: a) Pangates International Corp Ltd, Sharjah
Airport International Free Zone, United Arab Emirates b) Al Karim for Trade and Industry,
P.O.Box 111, Damascus, 5797, Syrian Arab Republic c) Morgan Additives, Office No 2206,
22nd Floor, Jafza View 19, Besides Jafza View 18, Sheikh Zayed Road, Jebel Ali Free Zone
Authority, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Justification: a) General Manager of Pangates International Corp Ltd, which acts as an
intermediary in the supply of oil to the Syrian regime, and manager of Al Karim Group. Both
Pangates International and Al Karim Group have been designated. b) As General Manager
of Pangates and a manager of Pangates’ parent company, Al Karim Group, Ahmad Barqawi
provides support to, and benefits from the Syrian regime. Given his senior position in
Pangates and Al Karim Group, he is also associated with the designated entities Pangates
International and Al Karim Group. Relation: a) General Manager of Pangates International
Corp Ltd (SSID 200-29924) b) Manager of Abdulkarim Group (SSID 200-29931)
Modifications: Listed on 18 Mar 2015

SSID: 200-30651 Name: George Haswani

Good quality a.k.a.: a) Heswani b) Hasawani c) Al Hasawani Address: Al Jalaa St,
Yabroud, Damascus Province, Syrian Arab Republic

Justification: a) Prominent Syrian businessman, co-owner of HESCO Engineering and
Construction Company, a major engineering and construction company in Syria. He has
close ties to the Syrian regime. b) George Haswani provides support and benefits from the
regime through his role as a middleman in deals for the purchase of oil from ISIL by the
Syrian regime. c) He also benefits from the regime through favourable treatment including
the award of a contract (as a subcontractor) with Stroytransgaz, a major Russian oil
company. Modifications: Listed on 18 Mar 2015

SSID: 200-30662 Name: Emad Hamsho

Good quality a.k.a.: a) Imad b) Hmisho c) Hamchu d) Hamcho e) Hamisho f) Hmeisho g)
Hemasho Address: Hamsho Building, 31 Baghdad Street, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic
Justification: a) Occupies a senior management position in Hamsho Trading. b) As a result
of his senior position in Hamsho Trading, a subsidiary of Hamsho International, which has
been designated, he provides support to the Syrian regime. He is also associated with a
designated entity, Hamsho International. c) Emad Hamsho funds Shabiha militias who in
turn collect steel from the areas destroyed by the Syrian regime armed forces and militias and melt it down in local Syria Steel (Hmisho Steel) factories. He is also vice-president of the
Syrian Council of Iron and Steel alongside designated regime businessmen such as Ayman
Jaber. He is also an associate of Bashar Al-Assad. Relation: Associated with Hamcho
International (SSID 200-12352) Modifications: Listed on 18 Mar 2015

SSID: 200-30676 Name: Samir Hamsho

Good quality a.k.a.: a) Samer b) Sameer c) Hmisho d) Hamchu e) Hamcho f) Hamisho g)
Hmeisho h) Hemasho Address: Hamsho Building, 31 Baghdad Street, Damascus, Syrian
Arab Republic

Justification: a) Samir Hamsho is a prominent Syrian businessman benefiting from and
supporting the regime. He is the owner and chairman of Al Buroj and Syria Steel/Hmisho
Steel, subsidiaries of Hamsho Trading, a subsidiary of Hamsho International, which has
been designated. b) Appointed to the Homs Chamber of Commerce in Mar 2014 by the
Minister of Industry. Therefore, he provides support to the Syrian regime and benefits from
his connections with the regime. c) He is also associated with the designated entities
Hamsho International, Syria Steel SA and Al Buroj Trading. Relation: a) Associated with
Hamcho International (SSID 200-12352) b) Owner and Chairman of Al Buroj Trading (SSID
200-30729) c) Owner and Chairman of Syria Steel SA (SSID 200-30719) Modifications:
Listed on 18 Mar 2015

and six entities to their Consolidated List under the Syrian sanctions program:

SSID: 200-30694 Name: Organisation for Technological Industries (OTI)

Good quality a.k.a.: Technical Industries Corporation (TIC) Address: P.O.Box 11037,
Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic

Justification: a) Subsidiary of the Syrian Ministry of Defence, which has been designated.
b) OTI is involved in the production of chemical weapons for the Syrian regime. It is
therefore responsible for the violent repression against the Syrian population. c) As a
subsidiary of the Ministry of Defence, it is also associated with a designated entity. Relation:
Subsidiary of the Ministry of Defence (SSID 200-12560) Modifications: Listed on 18 Mar
2015

SSID: 200-30703 Name: Syrian Company for Information Technology (SCIT)

Address: P.O.Box 11037, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic

Justification: a) Subsidiary of the Organisation for Technological Industries (OTI) and
therefore the Syrian Ministry of Defence, which have been designated. It also works with the
Central Bank of Syria which has been designated. b) As a subsidiary of OTI and the Ministry
of Defence, SCIT is associated with these designated entities. Relation: a) Subsidiary of the
Ministry of Defence (SSID 200-12560) b) Subsidiary of the Organisation for Technological
Industries (OTI) (SSID 200-30694) c) Works with the Central Bank of Syria (SSID 200-
12534) Modifications: Listed on 18 Mar 2015

SSID: 200-30712 Name: Hamsho Trading

Good quality a.k.a.: a) Hamsho Group b) Hmisho Trading Group c) Hmisho Economic
Group Address: Hamsho Building, 31 Baghdad Street, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic
Justification: a) Subsidiary of Hamsho International, which has been designated. b) As
such, Hamsho Trading is associated with a designated entity, Hamsho International. c)
Supports the Syrian regime through its subsidiaries, including Syria Steel. Through its
subsidiaries it is associated with groups such as the pro-regime Shabiha militias. Relation: a) Subsidiary of Hamcho International (SSID 200-12352) b) Controls Syria Steel SA (SSID
200-30719) Modifications: Listed on 18 Mar 2015

SSID: 200-30719 Name: Syria Steel SA

Good quality a.k.a.: a) Syria Steel Co b) Syria Steel Rolling Mill c) Hmisho Steel Address:
Hamsho Building, 31 Baghdad Street, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic

Justification: Subsidiary of Hamsho Trading and therefore ultimately a subsidiary of
Hamsho International, which has been designated. As such, Syria Steel SA is associated
with a designated entity. Syria Steel also supports the Syrian regime through its work with
Shabiha militias and producing armaments. Relation: a) Subsidiary of Hamsho Trading
(SSID 200-30712) b) Subsidiary of Hamcho International (SSID 200-12352) Modifications:
Listed on 18 Mar 2015

SSID: 200-30729 Name: Al Buroj Trading

Good quality a.k.a.: Borouj Trading Company Address: Hamsho Building, 31 Baghdad
Street, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic

Justification: a) Subsidiary of Hamsho Trading and therefore ultimately of Hamsho
International, which has been designated. b) As such, Al Buroj Trading is associated with a
designated entity, Hamsho International. Relation: a) Subsidiary of Hamsho Trading (SSID
200-30712) b) Subsidiary of Hamcho International (SSID 200-12352) Modifications: Listed
on 18 Mar 2015

SSID: 200-30737 Name: DK Group

Good quality a.k.a.: a) DK Group Sarl b) DK Middle-East & Africa Regional Office
Address: a) DK Middle-East & Africa Regional Office, Peres Lazaristes Center, No. 3, 5th
Floor, Emir Bachir Street, Beirut Central District, Bachoura Sector, Beirut, Lebanon b)
Azarieh Building – Block 03, 5th Floor, Beirut, Lebanon c) Azarieh Street – Solidere –
Downtown, P.O.Box 11-503, Beirut, Lebanon

Justification: DK Group supplies new banknotes to the Central Bank of Syria. DK Group
therefore provides support to the regime. Due to this supply relationship, it is also associated
with a designated entity, the Central Bank of Syria. Relation: Supplier Central Bank of Syria
(SSID 200-12534, supplies new banknotes to the Central Bank of Syria) Modifications:
Listed on 18 Mar 2015