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| Sunday, 31 July 2005 |
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UN expands Al-Qaeda list July 30- (AFP) - The UN Security Council on Friday voted unanimously to expand a list of individuals or entities subject to tough financial sanctions because of links with Al-Qaeda extremists or Afghanistan's Taliban. In line with previous resolutions relating to Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, the council called on all states to freeze without delay financial assets of individuals and entities linked to them, prevent their entry or transit through their territories and halt direct or indirect supply of arms and ammunition to them. "This resolution renews the international community's commitment to combat terrorism by giving countries the tools to fight terrorism financing and clearly identifying those subject to UN sanctions," said US UN delegate Anne Patterson. "We have increased the pressure on Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and their associates. The resolution defines association with Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda group or the Taliban as "participating in the financing, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating of activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support (of)" the two groups or any of their cells, affiliates or splinter groups. Recruiting for the groups or supporting their activities would also be grounds for sanctions, according to the US-drafted text. "Any undertaking or entity owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by, or otherwise supporting, such an individual group, undertaking or entity associated with Al-Qaeda (or) Osama bin Laden shall be eligible for designation (for sanctions)," said the resolution, co-sponsored by Denmark, France, Greece, Japan and Russia. Until now, the list comprised 182 individuals and 117 entities linked to Al-Qaeda as well as 143 individuals and one entity linked to the ousted Taliban regime. Last August, a report by UN experts warned that the list, drawn up in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks on US targets, had begun to "lose credibility" and questioned the usefulness of the assets freeze, saying that all but the most spectacular September 11-style attacks could be done cheaply. |
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