November 20, 2008
HP-1284

Treasury Designates al-Qaida in Iraq Facilitator

Washington, DC--The U.S. Department of the Treasury today designated Redouane El Habhab, a Germany-based terrorist financier and facilitator who has provided financial support and other services to al-Qaida in Iraq (AQI).

"We must remain vigilant in our efforts to shut every funding stream terrorists and their supporters exploit to carry out attacks in Iraq and around the world," said Adam Szubin, director of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control. "The power and reach of the UN's counterterrorism authorities continue to be critically important tools to shut down financing conduits wherever they may develop."

Redouane El Habhab has supported AQI financially, through payments to the group, and logistically, by facilitating the smuggling of "violence prone activists" into Iraq.

On January 24, 2008, the Schleswig-Holstein Higher Regional Court in Germany convicted Habhab of having provided support to a foreign terrorist organization and sentenced him to a five year, nine month prison term. Habhab initially appealed his sentence; however, he subsequently withdrew this appeal, and he remains in prison in Lübeck, Germany. On November 12, 2008, Habhab's name was added to the Consolidated List of the U.N. 1267 Committee, which obligates all U.N. member states to freeze his assets and prevent his travel.

Redouane El Habhab was designated today under Executive Order 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.  Any assets Redouane El Habhab holds under U.S. jurisdiction are frozen and U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in any transactions with him. 

Identifying Information

REDOUANE EL HABHAB
Nationality:                                        
German
DOB:                                                 
December 20, 1969
POB:                                                  
Casablanca, Morocco
German Passport:                               
1005552350
German Federal Identity Card:            
1007850441
Address:                                             
Iltisstraße 58, 24143 Kiel, Germany

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