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Justice asks for 9 groups to be added to terror list
CNN Producer WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Justice Department announced Monday that it would seek to have nine organizations and companies listed as terrorist groups, which would prohibit noncitizens from entering the country. U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft said his agency was expanding the definition of a terrorist organization and would formally ask the State Department to add the nine groups to the list of 39 terrorist organizations identified in December by federal authorities under provisions of the U.S.A. Patriot Act. "Designating these nine groups as terrorist organizations will help secure our borders against those who would come to the United States to commit terrorist acts, or to raise funds to finance terrorist operations," Ashcroft said in a written statement. Ashcroft was in Alberta, Canada, Monday for a meeting with top Canadian law enforcement officials on cross-border issues.
A "fact sheet" provided by Justice officials said the new groups "include organizations that have raised funds to finance international terrorist networks, as well as groups that have carried out terrorist attacks worldwide." The Justice Department statement said "representatives of a number of terrorist organizations -- including al Qaeda, Hamas and Hezbollah -- seek to enter the United States for networking and fund-raising purposes. These groups and their subsidiaries collect money from individuals in the United States which they use to finance terrorist attacks against innocent civilians here and abroad." The nine organizations identified as funding fronts for terrorist groups are -- Al Taqwa Trade; Property and Industry Company Limited -- Bank Al Taqwa Limited -- Nada Management Organization SA -- Youssef M. Nada & Co. Gesellschaft M.B.H.; -- Ummah Tameer E-Nau -- Loyalist Volunteer Force -- Ulster Defence Association (aka Ulster Freedom Fighters) -- Afghan Support Committee -- Revival of Islamic Heritage Society The Justice Department did not provide further information on the organizations, their locations, their top official, or their relationship to terrorist groups or networks. Some of the groups identified are affiliated with the conflict in Northern Ireland. The Ulster Defence Association, also known as the Ulster Freedom Fighters, and the Loyalist Volunteer Force are considered extremist, pro-British groups. The United States says the Afghan Support Committee is an organization created by Osama bin Laden. In January, the U.S. Treasury Department blocked the organization's assets in the country. |
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