

	February 8, 2006 JS-4016 Treasury Designates UK-Based Individuals, Entities Financing Al Qaida-Affiliated LIFG The U.S. Department of the Treasury today designated five individuals and four entities for their role in financing the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), an al Qaida affiliate known for engaging in terrorist activity in Libya and cooperating with al Qaida worldwide. "The Libyan Islamic Fighting Group threatens global safety and stability through the use of violence and its ideological alliance with al Qaida and other brutal terrorist organizations," said Patrick O'Brien, the Treasury's Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crime. "Through a sophisticated charitable front operation and other companies, the individuals designated today have financially supported LIFG's activities." Today's designation, which is carried out by the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), was executed under Executive Order 13224, an authority that targets the assets of terrorists and their financiers. The individuals and entities supported the LIFG through various financial means, primarily in the United Kingdom. The LIFG was formed in the early 1990s in Afghanistan, and formally announced its existence in 1995. The group relocated to Libya where it sought to overthrow Mu'ammar Qadhafi and replace his regime with a hard-line Islamic state. The LIFG mounted several operations inside Libya including a 1996 attempt to assassinate Qadhafi, but these failed to topple the regime. Following a Libyan government security campaign against LIFG in the mid- to late 1990s, the group abandoned Libya and continued its activities in exile. The group is part of the wider al Qaida-associated movement that continues to threaten global peace and security. Accordingly, LIFG was designated pursuant to Executive Order 13224 on September 23, 2001. On October 6, 2001, the United Nations Security Council also added LIFG to its consolidated list of entities associated with al Qaida. Identifying Information Abd Al-Rahman Al-Faqih AKAs: Mohammed Albashir Muhammad Al-Bashir Bashir Mohammed Ibrahim al-Faqi Al-Basher Mohammed Abu Mohammed Mohammed Ismail Abu Abd Al Rahman Abd Al Rahman Al-Khatab Mustafa Mahmud Abu Khalid DOB: December 15, 1959 POB: Libya ADDRESS: Birmingham, United Kingdom Abd al-Rahman al-Faqih is a senior leader of the LIFG and is involved in the provision of false passports and money to LIFG members worldwide. Al-Faqih has been tried and found guilty in absentia by the Rabat, Morocco Criminal Court of Appeals for his involvement in the series of suicide bombings in Casablanca, Morocco on May 16, 2003 that killed over 40 people and caused more than 100 injuries. It was strongly suspected that the Moroccan Islamic Combat Group (GICM) carried out that attack. GICM was designated pursuant to Executive Order 13224 on November 22, 2002. Al-Faqih has a history of GICM-related activity, notably representing the LIFG during meetings held in Turkey in the late 1990s with GICM. During these meetings, LIFG agreed to host weapons training and jihad indoctrination at LIFG camps in Afghanistan for Moroccans. Ghuma Abd'rabbah AKAs: Ghunia Abdurabba Ghoma Abdrabba Abd'rabbah Abu Jamil DOB: September 2, 1957 POB: Benghazi, Libya NATIONALITY: British ADDRESS: Birmingham, United Kingdom Ghuma Abd'rabbah is an associate of LIFG leader Abd' al-Rahman al-Faqih. Abd'rabbah is "Charity Correspondent" and one of three trustees for Sanabel Relief Agency Limited (SRA), an international charity organization controlled by the LIFG and used to transfer documents and funds for terrorist activities overseas. SRA was also designated today. Abdulbaqi Mohammed Khaled AKAs: Abul Baki Mohammed Khaled Abd' al-Baki Mohammed Abul Baki Khaled Abu Khawla DOB: August 18, 1957 POB: Tripoli, Libya NATIONALITY: British ADDRESS: Birmingham, United Kingdom Abdulbaqi Mohammed Khaled is a member of the LIFG and was a director of SRA. Tahir Nasuf AKAs: Tahir Mustafa Nasuf Tahar Nasoof Taher Nasuf Al-Qa'qa Abu Salima El Libi Abu Rida DOB: November 4, 1961 ALT. DOB: April 11, 1961 POB: Tripoli, Libya ADDRESS: Manchester, United Kingdom Tahir Nasuf is a middle-ranking member of the LIFG. He was previously associated with senior UK-based Libyans tied to the al-Qaida-affiliated Armed Islamic Group (GIA). The GIA was designated pursuant to Executive Order 13224 on September 23, 2001. Nasuf is one of three trustees and a director of SRA. Mohammed Benhammedi AKAs: Mohamed Hannadi Mohamed Ben Hammedi Muhammad Muhammad Bin Hammidi Ben Hammedi Panhammedi Abu Hajir Abu Hajir Al Libi Abu Al Qassam DOB: September 22, 1966 POB: Libya NATIONALITY: Libyan ADDRESS: Midlands, United Kingdom Mohammed Benhammedi is a key financier for the LIFG and believed to provide funds for the LIFG through Sara Properties Limited, Meadowbrook Investments Limited and Ozlam Properties Limited. These three businesses were also designated today. Benhammedi is also a member of what was identified as the LIFG economic committee. During Operation Enduring Freedom, in early 2002, Benhammedi was detained, along with several others, by Iranian officials when he attempted to illegally enter Iran from Afghanistan. Sara Properties Limited AKA: Sara Properties ADDRESS 1: 104 Smithdown Road, Liverpool, Merseyside L7 4JQ (United Kingdom) ADDRESS 2: 2a Hartington Road, Liverpool L8 0SG (United Kingdom) WEBSITE: http://www.saraproperties.co.uk REGISTRATION #: 4636613 Sara Properties Limited is a real estate agency trading in residential property sale and leasing. Mohammed Benhammedi, the co-director of Sara Properties Limited, is a 75 percent shareholder of Sara Properties Limited and the owner of the Internet domain for the Sara Properties Limited website. Through his ownership of several businesses in the UK, including Sara Properties Limited, Benhammedi is known to provide funds for the LIFG. Meadowbrook Investments Limited ADDRESS: 44 Upper Belgrave Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 2XN (United Kingdom) COMPANY #: 05059698 Meadowbrook Investments Limited is registered as a Bristol-based real estate company. Mohammed Benhammedi is a director of Meadowbrook Investments Limited and has been in that position since April 27, 2004. Through his ownership of several businesses in the UK, including Meadowbrook Investments Limited, Benhammedi is known to provide funds for the LIFG. Ozlam Properties Limited ADDRESS: 88 Smithdown Road, Liverpool, L7 4JQ (United Kingdom) REGISTRATION #: 05258730 Ozlam Properties Limited, a property company, is co-directed by Mohammed Benhammedi. He was appointed director on October 13, 2005. Through his ownership of several businesses in the UK, including Ozlam Properties Limited, Benhammedi is known to provide funds for the LIFG. Sanabel Relief Agency Limited AKAs: Sanabel Relief Agency Sanabel l'il-Igatha SRA SARA Al-Rahama Relief Foundation Limited ADDRESS 1: 63 South Rd, Sparkbrook, Birmingham B11 1EX (United Kingdom) ADDRESS 2: 1011 Stockport Rd, Levenshulme, Manchester M9 2TB (United Kingdom) ADDRESS 3: P.O. Box 50, Manchester M19 2SP (United Kingdom) ADDRESS 4: 98 Gresham Road, Middlesbrough (United Kingdom) ADDRESS 5: 54 Anson Road, London, NW2 6AD (United Kingdom) WESBITE: http://www.sanabel.org.uk EMAIL: info@sanabel.org.uk CHARITY #: 1083469 REGISTRATION #: 3713110 SRA was incorporated on February 12, 1999, and subsequently registered with the UK charity commission on November 17, 2000 as a charity with objectives "to relieve poverty, sickness and distress and to advance education of persons who are in need of such relief as a result of a natural disaster in particular, but not exclusively, by the provision of funds." While SRA characterizes itself to the public as a charitable organization, its first priority is providing support to the LIFG's jihadist activities. LIFG's fundraising charity is SRA, which is controlled by leaders of the LIFG. Directors of SRA use the charity as a vehicle to transfer money and documents for terrorist activities overseas. Prior to September 11, 2001, SRA had an office in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, where the former head of SRA in Kabul was known to have ties to the LIFG. He was later believed to be arrested in Pakistan with three other LIFG members and al Qaida leader Abu Zubaydah. Further, the director of SRA in Afghanistan received help from senior LIFG facilitator, Adnan al-Libi. These individuals and entities were designated today pursuant to Executive Order 13224 chiefly pursuant to paragraphs (d)(i) and (d)(ii) based on a determination that they assist in, sponsor or provide financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, or are otherwise associated with, persons listed as subject to E.O. 13224. Blocking actions are critical to combating the financing of terrorism. When an action is put into place, any assets existing in the formal financial system at the time of the order are to be frozen. Blocking actions serve additional functions as well, acting as a deterrent for non-designated parties who might otherwise be willing to finance terrorist activity; exposing terrorist financing "money trails" that may generate leads to previously unknown terrorist cells and financiers; disrupting terrorist financing networks by encouraging designated terrorist supporters to disassociate themselves from terrorist activity and renounce their affiliation with terrorist groups; terminating terrorist cash flows by shutting down the pipelines used to move terrorist-related assets; forcing terrorists to use alternative and more costly and higher-risk means of financing their activities. The United States is also taking action today pursuant to United Nations Security Counsel Resolution 1617, which requires member states to financially isolate individuals and entities added to the UN 1267 Committee's consolidated list of terrorists tied to the Taliban, al Qaida and UBL.