Designation of Ansar Al-Islam

The terrorist group Ansar al-Islam has been designated under Executive Order 13224, effective today. That Executive Order blocks the assets of organizations and individuals linked to terrorism. Today's addition appears on the website of the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control.

The United States also today asked the U.N. 1267 Sanctions Committee to add Ansar al-Islam's name to its consolidated list of entities and individuals associated with al-Qaida, the Taliban, or Usama bin Laden whose assets U.N. Member States are obligated to freeze under UN Security Council resolutions 1267, 1390, and 1455.

Ansar al-Islam, which operates in northeastern Iraq, has close links to and support from al-Qaida. Al-Qaida and Usama Bin Laden participated in the formation and funding of the group, which has provided safehaven to al-Qaida in northeastern Iraq.