Today's designations were taken pursuant to E.O. 13224, which prohibits U. S. persons from engaging in any transactions with these individuals and freezes any assets the designees have under U.S. jurisdiction.
12/3/2010
U.S Treasury targets three high ranking Pakistani, four Africans as terrorists
WASHINGTON, The U.S. Department of Treasury issued a number of decisions on Thursday prohibiting Americans from engaging in transactions with three high-ranking militants in "Pakistani-based terrorist organizations, " including four others from the African continent.
The department said in a statement that it has designated two of Pakistan's most wanted terrorists Lashkar-e Jhangvi (LJ) senior leader Amanullah Afridi for acting for or on behalf of LJ and LJ chief operational commander Mati ur-Rehman for acting for or on behalf of LJ and Al-Qaeda, in addition to designating Abdul Rauf Azhar, a senior leader of Jaish-e Mohammed (JEM), for acting for or on behalf of JEM.
The Treasury added that LJ has conducted "numerous attacks in Pakistan and is the group responsible for the January 2002 kidnapping and killing of U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl." It indicated that LJ was designated by the United States pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 in January 2003, by the UN 1267 Committee in February 2003 and was also designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the State Department in 2003.
JEM, which has conducted attacks in India and Afghanistan, was designated in October 2001 by the United States pursuant to E.O. 13224, by the UN 1267 Committee and by the State Department as an FTO in 2001.
Today's designations were taken pursuant to E.O. 13224, which prohibits U. S. persons from engaging in any transactions with these individuals and freezes any assets the designees have under U.S. jurisdiction.
"Today's designation of two terrorist organizations responsible for deadly attacks against innocent civilians in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India," said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Stuart Levey.
"All three of today's targets are actively involved in leading or planning operations on behalf of these dangerous terrorist organizations," he added.
Furthermore, the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) also designated today Gaston Iyamuremye, Leodomir Mugaragu and Felicien Nsanzubukire, three individuals who are part of the leadership of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), "one of the most violent armed groups operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)." Also designated today was Innocent Zimurinda, an officer in the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC), who is "responsible for targeting children in connection with the ongoing civil conflict in the eastern part of the DRC." The Treasury indicated that today's action was taken pursuant to Executive Order 13413, which targets persons who contribute to the conflict in the DRC.
"As a result of today's designations, U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in any transactions with these individuals, and any assets the designees have under U.S. jurisdiction are frozen," it indicated.
The four individuals were also sanctioned by the United Nations Security Council's Committee established pursuant to Resolution 1533 concerning the DRC.
They have been added to the Committee's list of individuals and entities subject to multilateral sanctions, including an international travel ban and asset freeze.
OFAC Director Adam Szubin said in a statement that these four individuals "are responsible for violence and instability in the eastern DRC and the region." "Today, Treasury joins the world community in sanctioning these men for their roles in a conflict that has been marked by widespread killing and displacement of civilians, sexual violence, and the recruitment and use of child soldiers," he stressed.
http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2128663&Language=en
