Washington, Mar 23: The US State Department expanded its list of foreign terrorist organizations to include Ansar al-Islam, a militant Islamic group that the US Government says has ties to Osama bin Laden`s al Qaeda network and carries out attacks in occupied Iraq. Ansar al-Islam ``has been one of the leading groups engaged in anti-coalition terrorist attacks in Iraq,`` state department spokesman Richard Boucher said in a statement. Boucher said the group trained in al Qaeda camps in Afghanistan and has close links to al Qaeda and support from its members. al Qaeda is blamed for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States which killed some 3,000 people. Ansar al-Islam also has provided a heaven to al Qaeda members in northeastern Iraq, Boucher said. The designation of Ansar al-Islam as a foreign terrorist organization yesterday makes it illegal under us law for anyone in the United States or under US jurisdiction to provide material support to the group. The designation also requires US financial institutions to freeze the group`s assets and allows the state department to deny visas to its members.
In addition, three other groups, al-Aqsa martyrs brigade, Asbat al-Ansar, and the Salafist group for call and combat have been re designated as terror organizations, Boucher said. The US Treasury Department placed Ansar al-Islam on a separate government list of terrorist groups on Feb. 20, 2003, a move that allowed for its assets and financial transactions to be frozen internationally.
Bureau Report