Posted on 03/21/2002 6:59:20 PM PST by veronica
After months of deliberation, the United States yesterday announced it has moved to add the Aksa Martyrs' Brigades, a terrorist group linked to Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction, to the State Department's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).
The Aksa Brigades was responsible for yesterday's suicide bombing in Jerusalem and for dozens of other terrorist attacks.
The FTO designation makes it illegal for Americans to provide funds or material support to the group, and requires US banks to freeze all funds held in its name. Members of the group can also be denied entrance to the US.
Secretary of State Colin Powell decided to designate the Aksa Martyrs' Brigades on Tuesday, and the necessary congressional panels were notified on Wednesday. Barring any opposition there, the designation should take effect within a week, a State Department official said.
Because FTO designations can be challenged in court, the State Department has been amassing information over the past several weeks to ensure its argument that the Aksa Martyrs' Brigades is a terrorist organization could stand up in court.
Israel applauded the decision.
"This is something that we've been raising with the Americans over the past month at working levels and more senior levels. It's very clear to any honest observer that the Aksa Brigades have been involved in some of the most murderous terrorist operations," said Mark Regev, spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in Washington.
"In every interview that they give they say they would not conduct their operations without a green light from Chairman Arafat. By placing them on the list, the State Department is sending a clear signal to Chairman Arafat that the Americans have a no-tolerance policy for terrorism," Regev added.
Observers also said the move to designate the Aksa Martyrs' Brigades a terrorist organization is a signal to Arafat that his entire Fatah organization could face the same fate.
There have been calls from the US Congress to designate Fatah and its Tanzim militia as terrorist organizations, but the administration has refrained from doing so, fearing the implications for US relations with the Palestinians.
The State Department has avoided designating Fatah itself as a terrorist organization, by arguing it is unclear to what extent the Fatah senior leadership is responsible for terrorist attacks like those carried out by militias like the Aksa Martyrs' Brigades. "That remains the case here," Regev said.
Nevertheless, the decision was significant, because it marks the first time a group linked to Arafat's Fatah movement has been designated as a terrorist organization since the US established ties with the Palestinian Liberation Organization.
Other Palestinian groups on the list are Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
With the Aksa Martyrs' Brigades, the number of groups classified by the US as FTOs will be 29.
It was not clear yesterday whether the Aksa Martyrs' Brigades would be added to organizations covered by an executive order, issued after the September 11 attacks.
Under that order, the US asks foreign financial institutions to freeze terrorists' accounts, and to share information with the US about the accounts of specified individuals and organizations.
But now that they're on the list, there's no getting off until they are dead. It's only a matter of time.
Well... DUH!
By placing a 2,000 lb. thermobaric bomb up Chairman Arafat's a** the U.S. Air Force would be sending a clear signal that Americans have a no-tolerance policy for terrorism.
By placing an angry phone call to Chairman Arafat the State Department is sending the signal that it still likes to prance around in drag and make an a** of itself.
I would prefer that it's only that they have the courtesy to call first--for coordinates.
I agree Dog Gone, do you get the impression that Saddam is behind this infitada? I think he is and I think Washington knows this.
So, if he's not behind it, he's totally stupid.
I think Saddam has bad judgment, but I don't think he's totally stupid.
After months of abuse, Jim R. has banned a Islamic Troll. Who then pops up the next minute with a new identity. Just like the Aksa Martyrs Brigades will tomorrow be another random sounding terrorist group. Same guys different name. Wanna kill the snake cut off its head. Arafat created this group. Stop sending American Tax dollars to Arafat.
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