Washington, Aug 09: The State Department today blocked the assets in US of Shamil Basayev, the leader of the Chechen seperatist movement, for his terrorist activities and links to al-Qaeda terror network and barred most financial transactions with him. The department announced that Secretary of State Colin Powell has designated Basayev's organisation Riyadus-Salikhin Reconnaissance and Sabotage Battalion of Chechen Martyrs (RSRSBCM), under executive order 13224 on terrorism financing and blocked his assets in the US, held by US persons.

Department spokesman Philip Reeker said, "We believe that Basayev, as leader of his group and individually, took part in planning and perpetrating terrorist acts. He claimed responsibility for seizing the Dubrovka theatre in Moscow in October 2002. This act of terrorism resulted in the death of 129 hostages, including one US citizen."

He recollected that Basayev publicly claimed to have planned suicide bomb operations against Russian targets.
"Because Basayev has links to al-Qaeda, the US, along with the United Kingdom and the Russian federation, asked today that the UN 1267 sanctions committee include him on its consolidated list maintained pursuant to UN Security Council resolutions 1267, 1390 and 1455. Once listed, all UN member states must impose arms and travel sanctions on Basayev, freeze his assets without delay, and prohibit their nationals and persons in their territories from making available to him any funds or other resources."

Bureau Report