| Press Statement Adam Ereli, Deputy Spokesman Washington, DC September 24, 2004 Foreign Terrorist Organization: Redesignation of Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and AliasAs part of ongoing U.S. efforts against terrorism, the Secretary of State has redesignated the terrorist group Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, along with its alias, Islamic Jihad, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under the Immigration and Nationality Act. Under U.S. law, the designation of a Foreign Terrorist Organization must be renewed every two years, or it will cease to be effective. By law, this redesignation makes it illegal for persons in the United States or subject to U.S. jurisdiction knowingly to provide material support to the group; it requires U.S. financial institutions to block assets of the group; and it provides a basis for the United States to deny visas to representatives and members of the group. The Secretary of State took this action in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury.
The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan is committed to overthrowing the government of Uzbekistan and establishing an Islamic state. The group participated in attacks on U.S. and Coalition forces in Afghanistan and plotted attacks on U.S. diplomatic facilities in Central Asia. In May 2003, Kyrgyzstani security forces disrupted one of the group's cells that was seeking to bomb the U.S. Embassy and a nearby hotel in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The group was last redesignated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on September 25, 2002 and originally designated in September 2000. Under current law it must be redesignated two years from now, or its status as a Foreign Terrorist Organization will lapse. We will continue to monitor developments, and will take note of any that suggest a reevaluation of the group’s status may be warranted. We hope the list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations will continue to draw the attention of governments across the world and will encourage those governments to take action, as we have, to isolate these terrorist organizations, to choke off their sources of financial support, to prevent their members’ movement across international borders, and finally, to press them to abandon terrorism as an avenue for pursuing their goals. 2004/1018 |
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