Treasury Targets Key Al-Qa-ida Funding and Support Network Using Iran as a Critical Transit Point

WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of the Treasury has announced the designation of six members of an al-Qaida network headed by Ezedin Abdel Aziz Khalil, a prominent Iran-based al-Qaida facilitator, operating under an agreement between al-Qaida and the Iranian government. Todays action, taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, demonstrates that Iran is a critical transit point for funding to support al-Qaidas activities in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This network serves as the core pipeline through which al-Qaida moves money, facilitators and operatives from across the Middle East to South Asia, including to Atiyah Abd al-Rahman, a key al-Qaida leader based in Pakistan, also designated today. Iran is the leading state sponsor of terrorism in the world today. By exposing Irans secret deal with al-Qaida allowing it to funnel funds and operatives through its territory, we are illuminating yet another aspect of Irans unmatched support for terrorism, said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen. Todays action also seeks to disrupt this key network and deny al-Qaidas senior leadership much-needed support. As a result of todays action, U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in commercial or financial transactions with the designees, and any assets they may hold under U.S. jurisdiction are frozen. Treasury designated the following individuals today: Ezedin Abdel Aziz Khalil Khalil (a.k.a. Yasin al-Suri) is an Iran-based senior al-Qaida facilitator currently living and operating in Iran under an agreement between al-Qaida and the Iranian government. Iranian authorities maintain a relationship with Khalil and have permitted him to operate within Irans borders since 2005. Khalil moves money and recruits from across the Middle East into Iran, then on to Pakistan for the benefit of al-Qaida senior leaders, including Atiyah Abd al-Rahman. Khalil has collected funding from various donors and fundraisers throughout the Gulf and is responsible for moving significant amounts of money via Iran for onward passage to al-Qaidas leadership in Afghanistan and Iraq. He has also facilitated the travel of extremist recruits for al-Qaida from the Gulf to Pakistan and Afghanistan via Iran. Khalil requires each operative to deliver $10,000 to al-Qaida in Pakistan. As al-Qaidas representative in Iran, Khalil works with the Iranian government to arrange releases of al-Qaida personnel from Iranian prisons. When al-Qaida operatives are released, the Iranian government transfers them to Khalil, who then facilitates their travel to Pakistan. Atiyah Abd al-Rahman Al-Rahman is al-Qaidas overall commander in Pakistans tribal areas and as of late 2010, the leader of al-Qaida in North and South Waziristan, Pakistan. Rahman was previously appointed by Usama bin Laden to serve as al-Qaidas emissary in Iran, a position which allowed him to travel in and out of Iran with the permission of Iranian officials. Umid Muhammadi Muhammadi is an al-Qaida facilitator and key supporter of al-Qaida in Iraq (AQI). Muhammadi has petitioned Iranian officials on al-Qaidas behalf to release operatives detained in Iran. Muhammadi has been involved in planning multiple attacks in Iraq and has trained extremists in the use of explosives. He has also received training in Afghanistan on the use of rockets and chemicals. Salim Hasan Khalifa Rashid al-Kuwari Al-Kuwari provides financial and logistical support to al-Qaida, primarily through al­-Qaida facilitators in Iran. Based in Qatar, Kuwari has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial support to al-Qaida and has provided funding for al-Qaida operations, as well as to secure the release of al-Qaida detainees in Iran and elsewhere. He has also facilitated travel for extremist recruits on behalf of senior al-Qaida facilitators based in Iran. Abdallah Ghanim Mafuz Muslim al-Khawar Al-Khawar has worked with Kuwari to deliver money, messages and other material support to al-Qaida elements in Iran. Like Kuwari, Khawar is based in Qatar and has helped to facilitate travel for extremists interested in traveling to Afghanistan for jihad. ˜Ali Hasan ˜Ali al-Ajmi Al-Ajmi is a Kuwait-based associate of Khalil who provides financial and facilitation support to al-Qaida, AQI and the Taliban. ˜Ajmi has collected money from individuals in Gulf countries and provided these funds to AQI facilitators as well as to the Taliban. He has also supported al-Qaida by facilitating travel for individuals associated with the group so that they could take part in fighting in Afghanistan.