Italy and the United States have blocked assets of a
major Islamic insurgency group in Algeria.
The two NATO allies announced the freezing of assets of 25 individuals
and organizations believed connected to Al Qaida. All 11 individuals are
linked to the Salafist Group for Call and Combat regarded as one of the two
leading Islamic insurgency groups that operate in Algeria.
The Salafists, a splinter group of the Armed Islamic Group, are believed
to have assets and agents in North Africa as well as in Italy and Spain. A
U.S. Treasury Department statement said the Salafists comprise a "lethal
terrorist group and its members support and finance terrorism around the
globe."
U.S. officials said they are not certain whether the Salafist agents or
the organizations have assets in the United States. They said they would
make such a determination by Sept. 10.
The Salafist group is already on the terrorism list of the United States
and the United Nations. But the Salafist group, which is believed to have
links with Al Qaida, does not appear on the European Union list of terrorist
groups.
"This designation of additional corporate holdings will further choke
the flow of funds that facilites the financing of terrorism," Treasury
Undersecretary Jimmy Gurule said.
The Salafist members whose assets have been blocked include several
Tunisian nationals. They are Adel Ben Soltane who lives in Milan. The U.S.
Treasury Department said Soltane was involved in the plot to attack the U.S.
embassy in Rome last year. Another Tunisian national named is Tarek Ben
Habib Maaroufi.
Other Tunisian nationals named are Nabil Benattia, Riadh Jelassi, Mehdi
Kammoun, Lazhar Ben Mohammed Tlili and Habib Waddani. All of the Tunisians
are believed living in Italy.
The only Algerian national named in the U.S. and Italian order is
Abdelhalim Remadna. A Treasury Department statement said Remadna is believed
to be a senior Al Qaida member.
A Moroccan national was also named as being a member of the Algerian
Salafist movement. He is Yassine Chekkouri, identified by the Treasury
Department as being one of the most senior agents of Al Qaida.
Samir Kishk, an Egyptian national, and Mansour Thaer, from Iraq, were
also named in the order. Many of the 14 organizations cited are based in
Italy. Others are in Morocco and Turkey. They were said to be either owned
or controlled by Ahmed Idris Nasreddin or Youssef Nada. Both men have been
designated as terrorist sponsors on the U.S. and UN lists.
Officials said the 25 names would be relayed to the UN for inclusion on
its list of terrorist sponsors.