Anti-terror partners issue joint sanctions against key terrorists and supporters

Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, at a conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday. (Reuters)

WASHINGTON: The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today imposed sanctions on eight individuals and one entity, targeting leaders, financiers, and facilitators of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria in Yemen (ISIS-Y) and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).
This action was taken in partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as the co-chair of the recently established Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC), as well as all other TFTC member states: the Kingdom of Bahrain; the State of Kuwait; the Sultanate of Oman; the State of Qatar; and the United Arab Emirates. Today’s collective actions are the first taken by the TFTC since its announcement during President Trump’s visit to the region in May.
“The creation of this new Terrorist Financing Targeting Center is a major step forward in our ability to disrupt the finances and operations of terrorist organizations. For the first time, we are establishing a multinational center to focus our efforts and disrupt the financial and support networks that enable terrorists. The TFTC will be a catalyst for additional multilateral actions against terrorist financiers, and a place where member countries come together to fight against these common threats,” said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
“Through this action, we are aggressively targeting radical extremists in Yemen and the surrounding region who pose a direct threat to the security of the United States, Yemen, and the international community.”
OFAC designated all of these individuals and the entity pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism. As a result of today’s OFAC action, all property and interests in property of these persons subject to US jurisdiction are blocked, and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. In addition, all TFTC member states also designated Nayif Salih Salim Al-Qaysi, Abd Al-Wahhab Muhammad Abd Al-Rahman Al-Humayqani, Hashim Muhsin Aydarus Al-Hamid, and the Rahmah Charitable Organization, all of whom were previously designated by OFAC pursuant to E.O. 13224.
The TFTC was announced on May 21, 2017 as a bold and historic effort to expand and strengthen the seven member states’ cooperation to counter the financing of terrorism. The TFTC facilitates coordinated disruptive actions, sharing of financial intelligence information, and building member state capacity to target terrorist financing networks and related activities that pose national security threats to TFTC members.
Adil Abduh Fari Uthman Al-Dhubhani
OFAC designated Adil Abduh Fari Uthman Al-Dhubhani (Fari) for acting for or on behalf of AQAP, as well as for assisting in, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, AQAP and ISIS-Y.
As of early 2017, Fari, in his role as a prominent military instructor with AQAP, reportedly commanded an armed AQAP-associated group made up of approximately 2,000 fighters. Fari used his connections to conduct fundraising for AQAP throughout Taiz governorate and overseas.
As of early June 2016, Fari also served with ISIS-Y in Taiz governorate, Yemen, where his deputies, along with a large number of other ISIS-Y fighters, fought under the Sunni resistance in Taiz governorate. Fari also made payments to various Sunni militants and ISIS-Y affiliates in Taiz governorate to secure continued support for ISIS-Y activities in Taiz in late October 2016.
Radwan Muhammad Husayn Ali Qanan
OFAC designated Radwan Muhammad Husayn Ali Qanan (Qanan) for acting for or on behalf of ISIS-Y.
As of mid-2017, Qanan was a key ISIS-Y leader in Aden governorate, Yemen and was the deputy field commander for ISIS-Y. Qanan was also a regional ISIS-Y field commander in southern Yemen as of mid-2017. As of early 2016, Qanan was an ISIS-Y leader who commanded members of ISIS-Y and was responsible for assassination operations in Yemen. Qanan also received funds from multiple sources in support of his role as a senior leader in early 2016. As of late 2015, Qanan was one of the most senior officials within ISIS-Y and was operating in Aden, Yemen. Furthermore, as of early October 2015, Qanan was considered to be one of the most dangerous members of ISIS-Y who intended to target and kidnap foreigners. Furthermore, Qanan had been the ISIS-Y military emir at the beginning of the 2015 Saudi-led campaign in Yemen.
Khalid Al-Marfadi
OFAC designated Khalid Al-Marfadi (Al-Marfadi) for acting for or on behalf of, and for assisting in, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, ISIS-Y.
As of mid-2017, Al-Marfadi was an ISIS-Y leader in charge of the movements of ISIS-Y fighters. Furthermore, Al-Marfadi gave orders to the ISIS-Y commander of operations. Al-Marfadi was also involved in an ISIS-Y assassination cell targeting Yemeni security forces location in southern Yemen. As of mid-April 2016, Al-Marfadi, the ISIS-Y leader of Yafa, Yemen, was involved in the recruitment of fighters from Yafa for ISIS-Y, and ran a training camp in Yafa. Furthermore, as of mid-2016, Al-Marfadi was in charge of and prepared the vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices used by ISIS-Y that were fabricated and prepared in Lahij City, Lahij governorate, Yemen.
As of early 2016, Al-Marfadi was one of the individuals responsible for, or had advance knowledge of, the majority of ISIS-Y attacks in Yemen. Furthermore, Al-Marfadi was considered to be a decision maker within ISIS-Y and conducted many functions on behalf of the group. As of 2015, Al-Marfadi reportedly had approximately 50-60 ISIS-Y fighters working for him in Lahij governorate.
In addition, as of early 2016, Al-Marfadi sought to negotiate an agreement regarding ISIS-Y and AQAP joint operations in Yemen.
Sayf Abdulrab Salem Al-Hayashi
OFAC designated Sayf Abdulrab Salem Al-Hayashi (Al-Hayashi) for assisting in, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, AQAP.
As of 2016, Al-Hayashi was an AQAP weapons dealer who financed AQAP operations in Yemen, and had coordinated and financed shipments of weapons for AQAP leadership. As of mid-2016, he had reportedly traveled between Yemeni Governorates to meet with senior AQAP leaders whose money he handled.
In addition, as of mid-2015, Al-Hayashi facilitated a weapons deal on behalf of ISIS-Y.
Al-Hayashi moved from Al-Bayda governorate to Azzan governorate, Yemen in 1994 where he worked as an arms dealer for over 10 years. In 2005, Al-Hayashi and another individual opened a money exchange office located next to a store where he and that individual sold weapons. Al-Hayashi and this individual expanded their business, through which they traded contraband and drugs out to Mukalla, Hadramawt governorate, Sana’a, Sana’a governorate, and other areas in Yemen.
Al Khayr Supermarket
OFAC designated Al Khayr Supermarket for being owned or controlled by Al-Hayashi. As of 2016, Al-Hayashi co-owned the Al Khayr Supermarket locations in Azzan, Shabwah governorate, and Fuwwah, Hadramawt governorate, Yemen.
Abu Sulayman Al-Adani
OFAC designated Abu Sulayman Al-Adani (Al-Adani) for acting for or on behalf of ISIS-Y.
As of early March 2017, Al-Adani was the overall head of ISIS-Y, who was reportedly nominated in 2013 by Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi to be the emir of ISIS-Y and was also a reported ISIS-Y military commander as of late 2016. The State Department designated Al-Baghdadi, also known as Ibrahim Awwad Ibrahim Ali Al-Badri, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist pursuant to E.O. 13224 on October 4, 2011.
Nashwan Al-Wali Al-Yafi’i
OFAC designated Nashwan Al-Wali Al-Yafi’i (Al-Yafi’i) for acting for or on behalf of ISIS-Y.
Al-Yafi’i was a finance leader of ISIS-Y as of early 2017. As of late-2016, Al-Yafi’i served as an ISIS-Y militant and chief financial officer for ISIS-Y in Yafi’i district, Lahij governorate, Yemen. Al-Yafi’i reported directly to ISIS-Y leader, Khalid Al-Marfadi, also designated today, and was associated with another ISIS-Y leader who propagated ISIS ideology in late 2016.
Khalid Sa’id Ghabish Al-Ubaydi
OFAC designated Khalid Sa’id Ghabish Al-Ubaydi (Ghabish) for acting for or on behalf of ISIS-Y.
As of early 2017, Ghabish transported and secured shipments of smuggled weapons to ISIS-Y secret locations and storage depots. As of late 2016, Ghabish was one of the most senior ISIS-Y members in Al-Ghaydah, Al-Mahrah governorate, Yemen, and was an ISIS-Y leader in Hadramawt governorate, Yemen. In 2014, Ghabish recruited youths to support ISIS-Y.
Bilal Ali Muhammad Al-Wafi
OFAC designated Bilal Ali Muhammad Al-Wafi (Al-Wafi) for acting for or on behalf of AQAP.
As of mid-2017, Al-Wafi was assessed to be a key member of AQAP in Taiz governorate. He was involved in the 2012 bombing of a Yemeni military parade rehearsal in Al-Sabin Square, Sanaa governorate, Yemen, where over 80 people died.