Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — The United States has designated Gulf financiers of Al Qaida.

The Treasury Department has identified nationals from Qatar and Yemen as supporters of Al Qaida.

Treasury said millions of dollars, usually in the guise of Islamic charity, went to several branches of Al Qaida, including those in Iraq, Lebanon, Somalia and Syria.

“We will continue to work with our partners in the Gulf to ensure that charitable donations are not used to support violence in the region or elsewhere,” Treasury Undersecretary David Cohen said.

Abdul Rahman Bin Umair Al Nuaimi was alleged to have provided financial support to such Al Qaida affiliates as Usbat Al Ansar in Lebanon, Al Qaida in Iraq and Shabab in Somalia. Abdul Wahab Al Humaiqani was cited for helping Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, active in Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

“Al Nuaimi is a Qatar-based terrorist financier and facilitator who has provided money and material support and conveyed communications to Al Qaida and its affiliates in Syria, Iraq, Somalia and Yemen for more than a decade,” Treasury said. “He was considered among the most prominent Qatar-based supporters of Iraqi Sunni extremists.”

In a statement on Dec. 18, Treasury said Al Nuaimi ordered the transfer
of nearly $600,000 to Al Qaida via its representative in Syria, Abu Khalid
Al Suri. The 59-year-old Al Nuaimi was also said to have overseen $2 million
a month to AQI.

This marked one of the few times that the administration of President
Barack Obama cited Qatar as a supporter of Al Qaida. Officials did not say
whether the administration demanded that Doha stop the flow of money to Al
Qaida. They said Al Nuaimi was an interlocutor between AQI, AQAP and donors
in Qatar.

“During political unrest in Yemen, Al Humaiqani reportedly assisted AQAP
in gaining a foothold and safe haven in Al Bayda Governorate, Yemen, and as
of mid-2011 served as the acting AQAP emir there,” Treasury said.

  Abdul Rahman Bin Umair Al Nuaimi, Abdul Wahab Al Humaiqani, David Cohen, U.S. Treasury IDs major terrorist financiers in Qatar, Yemen