US acts against Haqqani network

[sonicboom]

US acts against Haqqani network

By Anwar Iqbal
Friday, 23 Jul, 2010


WASHINGTON: The US Treasury Department on Thursday placed the Haqqani network among the groups promoting terrorism and froze the assets of its emissary Nasiruddin Haqqani along with those of two other Taliban leaders.

The action comes amid speculations in Washington that the US State Department is about to declare the Haqqani network a foreign terrorist organisation.

But Thursday’s move already blocks any effort to negotiate a truce between the Haqqani network and the Afghan government.



Earlier media reports had suggested that Pakistan was trying to encourage reconciliation between the two rival forces in Afghanistan.

The Afghan government has also held talks recently with some insurgent factions, including the Haqqani network.

The executive designation prohibits US citizens from engaging in any transactions with Nasiruddin Haqqani, Gul Agha Ishakzai and Amir Abdullah.



The individuals, and the affiliated group the Haqqani network, were targeted because of their actions supporting terrorism.

“The Haqqani Network is a Taliban-affiliated group of militants that operates out of North Waziristan Agency, Pakistan and has been spearheading insurgent activity in Afghanistan,” the notification said.

Treasury said Nasiruddin Haqqani is a key leader of that network; along with his brother Sirajuddin Haqqani, who was designated by the US in March 2008.

“Today’s designation of three senior leaders and financiers for the Taliban and its affiliated Haqqani Network builds upon Treasury’s longstanding efforts to deprive these extremists of the resources they need to execute their violent activities,” said Adam Szubin, director of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

“We will continue to aggressively work to expose and dismantle the financial networks of terrorist groups in support of the President’s goal of a stable Afghanistan.”

Diplomatic observers in Washington say that the Obama administration’s decision to target the three key leaders of Afghanistan’s Taliban with new sanctions, shows how it wants the reconciliation process in Afghanistan to proceed and who it wants excluded from this process.

The action will not only freeze the insurgents’ assets but will also ban travel and trigger an arms embargo. The action comes just a week after a top US military commander in Afghanistan urged the sanctions.

The observers believe that the US will now also increase its pressure on Pakistan to crack down on the Haqqani network, which Washington says is linked to Al Qaeda.

US military officials in Afghanistan already say that Islamabad’s reluctance to move into group’s base in North Waziristan is hampering the Afghan war effort.

The official notification identified Nasiruddin Haqqani as “an emissary for the Haqqani Network and brother of Sirajuddin Haqqani who leads the group with his father, Jalaluddin”.

Mr Ishakzai was identified as the head of the Taliban’s financial commission and Mr Abdullah as the former treasurer to captured Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.

The designation of the three leaders as terrorists would deprive them of the assets they need to fund their terror operations, said Mr Szubin.

According to Treasury, Mr Ishakzai is the head of the Taliban’s financial commission, has collected money for suicide attacks in Kandahar and has been involved in the disbursement of funds for Taliban fighters. He has served as a main financial officer and close adviser to Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar.

Mr Abdullah has reportedly travelled to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Libya and the United Arab Emirates to raise money for the Taliban and facilitate meetings and communications with key leaders.

Nasiruddin Haqqani has collected funds for the Haqqani group, including from Al Qaeda.

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