By Michael Hernandez
WASHINGTON
The U.S. sanctioned two-dozen entities for participating in or supporting the activities of several jihadi groups as it seeks to stem the flow of terrorists to Syria, the Treasury Department announced Wednesday.
“Today’s broadly scoped designations will disrupt efforts by ISIL, al Nusrah Front, al-Qaida, and Jemaah Islamiya to raise, transport, and access funds that facilitate foreign terrorist fighters,” said David S. Cohen, Under Secretary of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence at the U.S. Treasury, which named 11 individuals and a terrorist group for their support of a range of terrorist organizations.
The sanctions will freeze the U.S. assets of the named entities and also prevent U.S. companies and individuals from dealing financially with the designees.
Among the individuals cited, two are leading figures in the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant - Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili, who the Treasury Department says is a top commander, and Tariq Bin-Al-Tahar Bin Al Falih Al-‘Awni Al-Harzi, a high-profile member who has worked to raise funds, recruit fighters and facilitate their travel.
Six others were named for their affiliation with al-Qaida-linked groups, such as al-Nusra Front, al-Qaida in Iraq, and al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.
Three individuals and an organization – the Hilal Ahmar Society Indonesia – were listed for providing financial, material, technological support of financial or other services to Jemaah Islamiya, a U.S. and UN-designated terrorist group.
Described as a humanitarian organization, the Hilal Ahmar Society Indonesia is in fact a front used by the Indonesia-based terror group for recruitment and fund raising, the Treasury Department said. Jemaah Islamiya is accused of being behind bombings on the Indonesian island of Bali that killed more than 200 people in 2002. The organization operates throughout Southeast Asia.
In a separate move, the U.S. State Department sanctioned 10 foreign terrorist fighters, including three ISIL fighters and a Nusra militant, and two groups operating in Syria.
Of the two groups, Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar is a Chechen-led terrorist organization based in Syria that the State Department says is working with al-Nusra Front and ISIL. Harakat Sham al-Islam is a Syria-based Moroccan-led group accused of cooperating with extremist groups such as Nusra.
Rear Adm. John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, confirmed in a statement that the U.S. and Arab allies continued to strike ISIL targets in Syria on Wednesday. He said he cannot provide additional details at this time as operations are ongoing, but more information would be made available "as operationally appropriate."
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