The United States is determined to disrupt the fundraising and support network of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. In pursuit of that goal, on January 10, 2017, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, designated four individuals as Specially Designated Global Terrorists pursuant to Executive Order 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.
The individuals designated include ISIL members based in Iraq, Syria, and Indonesia who are involved in ISIL’s propaganda, recruitment, and support networks in Southeast Asia and Australia. As a result of OFAC’s actions, all property and interests in property of these individuals subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.
The first designee is Neil Christopher Prakash who was named for acting for or on behalf of ISIL. He served as ISIL’s most senior Australian recruiter and encouraged others to travel to Syria and Iraq to join ISIL.
As of June 2015, Prakash was publically identified as a top ISIL recruiter who facilitated the travel of new recruits, appeared in high-profile ISIL recruitment videos, and was named in a list of key contacts for aspiring ISIL foreign fighters.
Khaled Sharrouf is a Syria- and Iraq-based ISIL member who has been involved in distributing propaganda and carrying out executions on behalf of ISIL.
Bachrumsyah Mennor Usman is an ISIL official who commands ISIL fighters, facilitates funding for ISIL operations in Indonesia, recruits for ISIL, and coordinates travel and communications for ISIL members.
Oman Rochman was designated for acting for or on behalf of ISIL in the areas of recruitment and media dissemination, and as of late-2015 was considered to be the de facto leader for all ISIL supporters in Indonesia, despite his incarceration in Indonesia since December 2010.
These designations aim to cut off ISIL’s access to the international financial system, and support the global coalition’s efforts to disrupt ISIL’s finances and defeat the terrorist group. As ISIL seeks to recruit individuals around the world, the U.S. government will continue to target its enablers wherever they may be.
