US Designates 3 Saudi Funders as Terrorists

The US Department of the Treasury has designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists three individuals based in Saudi Arabia who have served as significant sources of financial and other support to individuals and entities in Southeast Asia previously named as SDGTs and listed pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1267. "These three terrorist financiers were instrumental in raising money to fund terrorism outside of Saudi Arabia," said Stuart Levey, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. "In order to deter other would-be donors, it is important to hold these terrorists publicly accountable." Abdul Rahim Al-Talhi, Muhammad Abdallah Salih Sughayr, and Fahd Muhammad Abd Al-Aziz Al-Khashiban were designated for providing support to the Abu Sayyaf Group, an al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group responsible for multiple bombings, kidnappings and other terrorist attacks in Southeast Asia. The action was taken pursuant to Executive Order 13224. EO13224 is aimed at financially isolating terrorists and their support networks. Designations made under this authority freeze any assets the designees may have under US jurisdiction and prohibit transactions by US persons with the designees. This action under EO13224 also implements the decision by the UN1267 Committee to include these three persons on its Consolidated List of persons and entities associated with al Qaeda , the Taliban, or Osama bin Laden. This UN decision obligates UN member countries around the world to freeze the assets of the designees. SOURCE