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Middle East

State Dept. puts Hezbollah leader’s son on global terrorist list

London Al Quds March Hezbollah; June 10, 2018. (David Holt/Flickr)
November 14, 2018

The U.S. has officially applied sanctions and a terrorist designation to the son of Hezbollah’s leader.

The designation was applied to Jawad Nasrallah, who is the son of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, according to a statement by the U.S. State Department on Tuesday.

In the same announcement, the Al-Mujahidin Brigades (AMB) group was also designated and sanctioned for their connections to Hezbollah and terror plots.

Nasrallah and AMB were designated as “Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, which imposes sanctions on foreign persons who have committed, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States,” the State Dept. said.

“Today’s designations seek to deny Nasrallah and AMB the resources to plan and carry out terrorist attacks. Among other consequences, all of their property and interests subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with them,” the State Dept. added.

Hezbollah, a radical Shi’ite Muslim organization, was designated a terrorist organization in 1997. It is a federal crime to provide or attempt to provide any support or resources to them. The U.S. has since looked closely at those with ties to Hezbollah, designating many as terrorists themselves.

The younger Nasrallah was involved in the planning of terror attacks against Israel, having recruited Palestinians to carry out suicide bombings in the West Bank. One of his plans was foiled in 2016 when Israeli authorities arrested Nasrallah’s recruits before they could carry out the attack.

Members of AMB have also plotted terror attacks against Israel and have received “funding and military training” from Hezbollah, according to the State Dept.

“Today’s actions notify the U.S. public and the international community that Jawad Nasrallah and AMB have committed, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism,” the State Dept. said. “Designations of terrorist individuals and groups expose and isolate them, and deny them access to the U.S. financial system. Moreover, designations can assist the law enforcement actions of other U.S. agencies and governments.”

The Iranian-backed Hezbollah has contributed to the instability of the region. Aside from their terrorist activities, they have impeded Lebanon’s attempts to establish a new government.

Lebanon Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri blamed Hezbollah on Tuesday for obstructing government reformation efforts. He warned that if a new government could not be established, “The consequences that the country will bear is upon Hezbollah’s responsibility,” Reuters reported Tuesday.

The senior Nasrallah has demanded that the new government include a Sunni ally of Hezbollah, a demand that Hariri has rejected.

Another State Dept. release on Tuesday offered rewards of $5 million each for information on three Hamas and Hezbollah leaders – Salih al-Aruri of Hamas, Khalil Yusif Mahmoud Harb and Haytham ‘Ali Tabataba’i of Hezbollah.