Washington, Oct 03: Pakistan-based militant outfit Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, Al Qaeda, LTTE and Hamas are among the 25 groups redesignated by the United States as foreign terrorist organisations, making it illegal for persons in the US to provide material support to them. Other Pakistan-based militant groups, including Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Toiba and Lashkar-i-Jhangvi continue to remain on the list of foreign terrorist organisations, an official announcement here said. "The Secretary of State (Colin Powell) redesignated 25 groups as foreign terrorist organisations under US law on October 02, 2003. The initial designations of these groups in 1997 and 1999 are due to expire on October 03, 2003", US State Department spokesman, Richard Boucher said yesterday. "By re-certifying them as foreign terrorist organisations and publishing that decision today in the Federal register, we preserve the US government's ability to take action against them in accordance with the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended," he said. "This act makes it illegal for persons in the United States or subject to US jurisdiction to provide material support to these terrorist groups", Boucher said.
"It requires US financial institutions to block assets held by them; and it enables the US to deny visas to representatives of these groups", he said.
"The Secretary made this decision in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury after a thorough review of these groups' terrorist activities over the past two years", Boucher added.
Bureau Report