Treasury Sanctions Key Hizballah Money Laundering Network

1/28/2016 WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury today targeted Hizballah's financial support network by designating Hizballah-affiliated money launderers Mohamad Noureddine and Hamdi Zaher El Dine, as well as Trade Point International S.A.R.L, a company owned or controlled by Noureddine.  Noureddine and El Dine were designated today under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 for providing financial services to or in support of Hizballah, which has long been designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization.  Trade Point International S.A.R.L. was designated today for being owned or controlled by Noureddine.  As a result of this action, all assets of those designated today that are based in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are frozen, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.

 

Today's actions continue Treasury's campaign to target Hizballah and its enablers pursuant to E.O. 13224. Recent Treasury actions have sanctioned nearly forty individuals and entities associated with Hizballah's terrorism, criminal, commercial, and procurement activities.  Among those targeted have been financiers and companies in Lebanon, global procurement networks, a facilitation network in Africa, and numerous others.  In total, Treasury has designated over 100 individuals and entities associated with Hizballah.

 

"Hizballah needs individuals like Mohamad Noureddine and Hamdi Zaher El Dine to launder criminal proceeds for use in terrorism and political destabilization," said Adam J. Szubin, Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.  "We will continue to target this vulnerability, and expose and disrupt such enablers of terrorism wherever we find them."

 

Hizballah was designated by the Department of State as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist pursuant to E.O. 13224 in October 2001.  It was also designated for its support to the Government of Syria pursuant to E.O. 13582 in August 2012 and listed in the Annex to E.O. 12947 as a Specially Designated Terrorist in January 1995. 

 

Mohamad Noureddine

 

Mohamad Noureddine is a Lebanese money launderer who has worked directly with Hizballah's financial apparatus to transfer Hizballah funds via his Lebanon-based company Trade Point International S.A.R.L. and maintained direct ties to Hizballah commercial and terrorist elements in both Lebanon and Iraq.

 

In particular, Noureddine has provided financial services to U.S.-designated Hizballah member Adham Tabaja, and his company Al-Inmaa Engineering and Contracting LLC, U.S.-designated Hizballah Islamic Jihad member Husayn Ali Faour, and additional members of Tabaja's business network, and transferred substantial amounts of money in support of Hizballah's commercial investment activity in Lebanon and Iraq.

 

Noureddine has utilized an extensive network across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East to provide money laundering, bulk cash shipment, black market currency exchange, and other financial services to a variety of clients, including Hizballah members.

 

Hamdi Zaher El Dine

 

Hamdi Zaher El Dine is a Lebanese money launderer and employee of Trade Point International S.A.R.L., who has worked with Mohamad Noureddine to transfer money for Adham Tabaja and Al-Inmaa Engineering and Contracting employees.

 

Trade Point International S.A.R.L.

 

Trade Point International S.A.R.L. is a Lebanon-based, multi-purpose company that is owned or controlled by Mouhamad Noureddine.

 

For identifying information on today's action, click here.

Remarks at a UN Security Council Open Debate on the Middle East

Ambassador Samantha Power

U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
U.S. Mission to the United Nations
New York City
January 26, 2016
AS DELIVERED  

Excerpt - Finally, let me turn very briefly to Lebanon. This Council has stressed repeatedly that the Lebanese people deserve – and indeed require – a fully-functioning government to safeguard Lebanon from the threat of ISIL and other terrorist groups, as well as to address the country's significant economic challenges – including those accruing by virtue of them hosting more than one million Syrian refugees, giving Lebanon the highest per capita refugee concentration in the entire world. As Lebanese discussions over the presidency continue, we support adherence to the constitutional process to elect a president, not any one candidate. It is critical that Lebanon's leaders respect the government's policy of disassociation from regional conflicts, first enshrined in the June 2012 Baabda Declaration. As this Council has emphasized for years, Lebanon should focus on strengthening its institutions, resolving difficult internal disputes, and building up the rule of law – and not become involved in Syria's civil war.

I thank you, Mr. President.

CENTCOM Commander General Austin Visits Lebanon

January 22, 2016
Media Notice 
For Immediate Release
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander General Lloyd J. Austin III visited Lebanon today and met with Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Commander General Jean Kahwagi.  In his meeting, General Austin reiterated the confidence of the United States in the capabilities of the LAF, noting that just as the LAF continues to protect the Lebanese people, the United States will continue to support the army in its role as the defender of Lebanon.  General Austin renewed the commitment of the United States to providing the LAF with top-quality weapons, equipment, and training so that the Lebanese state can exercise its sovereign authority on the border and throughout the country, in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions 1559 and 1701.  Since 2004, America has provided over $1.3 billion dollars in security assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces, including both training and equipment.  

Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Financier and His Company

1/7/2016

Action Targets Lebanon-Based Hizballah Financier and His Company for Materially and Financially Supporting Hizballah

 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury targeted a key Hizballah support network by designating Hizballah financier and member Ali Youssef Charara and Spectrum Investment Group Holding SAL, a telecommunications company of which Charara is the Chairman and General Manager.  Charara has received millions of dollars from Hizballah to invest in commercial projects that financially support the group.  Today's actions continue Treasury's ongoing efforts to target Hizballah and its supporters under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which have recently included actions against a key Hizballah support network based in Africa, global Hizballah-linked procurement networks, and numerous other officials and facilitators.  As a result of this action, all assets of those designated today that are based in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are frozen, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.

 

These are Treasury's first designations of Hizballah supporters since the passage of H.R. 2297, the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015, which the President signed into law on December 18, 2015.  This strong, bipartisan-supported law strengthened our authorities to target Hizballah and threatens consequences for those who would knowingly facilitate Hizballah's activities anywhere in the world. 

 

"Hizballah relies upon accomplices in the business community to place, manage, and launder its terrorist funds," said Adam J. Szubin, acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.  "We are committed to exposing and disrupting these networks to pressure Hizballah's finances and degrade its ability to foment violence in Lebanon, Syria, and across the region."

 

Hizballah was designated by the Department of State as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist pursuant to E.O. 13224 in October 2001.  It was also designated for its support to the Government of Syria pursuant to E.O. 13582 in August 2012 and was listed in the Annex to E.O. 12947 as a Specially Designated Terrorist in January 1995. 

 

Ali Youssef Charara and Spectrum Investment Group Holding SAL

 

In addition to Charara's facilitation of commercial investments on behalf of Hizballah, Charara has also worked on oil ventures in Iraq with Hizballah member Adham Tabaja and Hizballah financial supporter Kassem Hejeij, both of whom were previously designated by Treasury.  Treasury designated Tabaja in June 2015 for his support to Hizballah through commercial ventures in Lebanon and Iraq.  Tabaja has maintained direct ties to senior Hizballah officials and Hizballah's operational component, the Islamic Jihad.  Treasury also designated Hejeij at the same time for his role in facilitating Hizballah's financial and commercial activities, including for opening bank accounts on behalf of Hizballah and providing credit to its procurement companies.  Additionally, Charara has extensive business interests in the telecommunications industry in West Africa. 

 

Charara's company, Spectrum Investment Group Holding SAL, is a Lebanon-based telecommunications company that provides integrated telecommunications services in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.