Disrupting Hezbollah Through Designations

From time to time, the United States identifies certain individuals and entities as crucial to the operation of terrorist organizations. These include persons who have committed, or are deemed to pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism, persons who have provided support or services to designated terrorists or in support of acts of terrorism, and persons who are owned or controlled by, or act for or on behalf of, designated terrorists.

When such an individual or entity is identified, the U.S. Government places that person's name on the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons, the SDN list. Assets within U.S. reach in which the designated person has an interest are immediately frozen, and the designated person is locked out of the U.S. financial network. U.S.persons are generally prohibited from conducting business with a designated person. In this way, the United States disrupts financial support networks for terrorists and terrorist organizations.

In a push to disrupt the operations, fundraising, and support networks of the terrorist group Hezbollah, on October 20 the U.S. Department of the Treasury, designated Muhammad Al-Mukhtar Kallas, Hasan Jamal-al-Din, Yosef Ayad, and Muhammad Ghaleb Hamdar. Also designated was Global Cleaners S.A.R.L., a business owned and managed by Adham Husayn Tabaja. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also designated Kallas, Jamal-al-Din, and Global Cleaners S.A.R.L. Tabaja and portions of his business network were sanctioned by the Treasury Department last year.

While employed by Al-Inmaa Engineering and Contracting LLC, a Treasury Department-designated company owned by Adham Husayn Tabaja, both Muhammad Al-Mukhtar Kallas and Hasan Jamal-al-Din provided financial services to Hezbollah.

Yosef Ayad is an operative for Hezbollah's External Security Organization, which is responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing Hezbollah's terrorist attacks worldwide.

Muhammad Ghaleb Hamdar is another External Security Organization member who was also designated for acting on behalf of Hezbollah by assisting in the planning of and supporting acts of terrorism. Two years ago, he was arrested in Lima, Peru on suspicion of planning terrorist attacks there.

“Today's joint action with Saudi Arabia underscores the strength of U.S. and Saudi cooperation in disrupting Hezbollah's worldwide commercial and financial infrastructure,” said Adam Szubin, Treasury Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. “Hezbollah continues to plan, coordinate and execute terrorist attacks around the world, and Treasury will continue to aggressively target Hezbollah and those supporting its terrorist activities.”