The United States Department of the Treasury has taken another step towards cutting the financial network that supplies the international terrorist organization known as al-Qaida. On August 24th, the Treasury Department designated Muhammad Abdallah Hasan Abu-al-Khayr, a citizen of Saudi Arabia, as a "key leader of the terrorist organization's financial network."
The designation was made pursuant to Executive Order 13224 for acting on behalf of Al-Qaida. The order freezes any assets al-Khayr has under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in any transactions with him. The United Nations 1267 Sanctions Committee has taken similar action against al-Khayr.
Al-Khayr appears on a list issued in 2009 of 85 persons wanted by the government of Saudi Arabia, in part because of his role as an al-Qaida financial facilitator. He has transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars for a specific terrorist attack against U.S. interests. Al-Khayr also acts for al-Qaida in a leadership role on the terrorist group's media committee, and has on at least one occasion recruited a member for al-Qaida. His relationship with al-Qaida began with military training the group provided him in the mid-1990s. Al-Khayr is a son-in-law of Osama bin Laden and has also provided services to bin Laden as a bodyguard.
"After the death in May of Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, who essentially served as al-Qaida's chief financial officer, we will continue to work with our allies to target those like al-Khayr who could step into al-Yazid's shoes," said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Stuart Levey. By designating al-Khayr a terrorist financier, the United States and the United Nations, said Under Secretary Levey, "will help ensure that al-Qaida remains in severe financial straits."
The United States Department of the Treasury has taken another step towards cutting the financial network that supplies the international terrorist organization known as al-Qaida.