FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

The joint action taken today by the United States, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and other Southeast Asian and European allies demonstrates an international commitment to combating terrorism and to disrupting terrorist financing in Southeast Asia.  We are joining these countries today in notifying the United Nations that JI should be added to the consolidated list of terrorist-related entities and individuals pursuant to UN Security Council Resolutions 1267 and 1390.  The UN listing requires all Member States to block the assets of this organization and sends a signal to JI and other like-minded terrorists and supporters that the international community will not tolerate the support of terrorist groups in Southeast Asia and other regions of the world.  There will be no safe haven anywhere in the world for money that kills.

Because the majority of the funds that fuel terror are not found in the United States, we have focused our attention on building a worldwide wall that cuts off access to funds for terror organizations.  In this case, the U.S. government has worked closely with our allies to address the terrorist threat in the region.  We met recently with APEC Finance Ministers in Los Cabos, Mexico to discuss steps that should be taken to address terrorist financing in the region.  This action is a critical first step in a long-term process to fulfill the APEC Finance Ministers’ Action Plan on Terrorist Financing, which resulted from that meeting.

Today’s joint action is a clear indication of the regional and worldwide commitment to disrupt terrorism by attacking the financial underpinnings of groups like JI.  As we and our partners around the world isolate JI from its funding sources, we intend to deprive them of the resources they need to carry out their acts of terror.  We will be relentless in the pursuit to bankrupt terrorist groups that threaten our safety and the well being of our allies abroad.