MOSCOW, August 7 (RIA Novosti) - The United States Department of Treasury imposed sanctions on three Kuwaitis for alleged terrorism funding, calling each of them a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, according to the department’s official website.
“Through fundraising appeals on social media and the use of financial networks, Shafi al-Ajmi, Hajjaj al-‘Ajmi, and al-‘Anizi have been funding the terrorists fighting in Syria and Iraq. We and our international partners, including the Kuwaiti government, need to act more urgently and effectively to disrupt these terrorist financing efforts,” the Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David Cohen said in an official statement.
The Treasury froze the assets held by sanctioned individuals and banned US entities from conducting business with these people.
The Treasury argued that Shafi al-Ajmi and Hajjaj al-‘Ajmi delivered cash and arms to Syrian rebels.
The Department said Mr. Anizi was a financier for the Islamic State and has played a larger role in moving al Qaeda fighters across the Middle East. Treasury Department also stated that he "was involved in extremist facilitation activities with Iran-based al-Qaeda" members.
In May, Kuwait’s Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs Nayef al-Ajmi had to resign after David Cohen publically accused him of funding extremist groups in Syria. Ajmi denied these allegations and said he resigned for health reasons.
Terrorism financing became one of the major issues of the Unites States government since the 11 September, 2001 attacks.
In 2001, President George W. Bush signed the so-called USA PATRIOT Act that stands for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism.
On May 2011, the current President of the United States signed a four-year extension of the key Act provisions. However, the PATRIOT Act has generated a great deal of controversy, with many Americans saying it was not helpful and arguing it affected people’s privacy.
Just about every part of the United States has been hit by some form of terrorist attack since 1970. There have been about 3,000 terrorist attacks in the United States over the last 40 years. In over 50 percent of the cases, terrorists used bombs.
