US imposes sanctions on three Pakistan-based terrorist facilitators

Treasury Department says three terrorists have been providing material to Taliban, TTP and IMU.

WASHINGTON: The US Treasury Department has announced that it is imposing sanctions on three Pakistan-based terrorist facilitators who are helping the Taliban, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU).

In a statement, the Treasury Department said that it was designating Maulvi Adam Khan Achekzai, Aamir Ali Chaudhry and Qari Ayyub Bashir for providing material, logistical and financial support to the three designated organisations.

The statement added that Achekzai and Chaudhry have been involved in the production of improvised and other explosive devices. Qari Ayyub Bashir has been accused of coordinating financial support for IMU’s operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S Cohen said, “Today’s actions are intended to disrupt the activities of three individuals working to carry out violent attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan that threaten the lives of civilians and military forces.

“As these designations demonstrate, we will continue to work to dismantle the terrorist support networks operating in Afghanistan and Pakistan, paying special attention to those involved in the manufacture of IEDs.”

The sanctions imposed by the Treasury Department will freeze any assets under US jurisdiction held by the three individuals, and will prohibit any US citizens from engaging in transactions with Chaudhry, Achekzai and Bashir.

The Treasury Department said that Achekzai is an IED manufacturer and facilitator for the Taliban. “As of late 2010, Adam was a Taliban military commander who was responsible for the production of IEDs and suicide vests. Furthermore, as of 2012, Adam constructed IEDs and trained approximately 150 IED makers in support of the Taliban,” said the statement.

Aamir Ali Chaudhry from the TTP has been described as an electronics and explosives expert who advised “a TTP facilitator on fertiliser selection for the bomb used in the failed May 2010 attack in New York’s Times Square”.

The statement said that he is also responsible for the TTP’s electronics needs for producing landmines and IEDs. “Chaudhry has also been involved in attack planning for TTP. As of mid-2010, Chaudhry was involved in a TTP plan to conduct a rocket attack against the Pakistani parliament building and was leading TTP’s efforts to develop a chemical poison.

“In early 2010, Chaudhry was working on a TTP plot to detonate explosives on an aircraft and had been working on a plan to use an airliner in an attack. In addition, Chaudhry volunteered to conduct a suicide operation in support of TTP during this period,” said the statement. He is also believed to have worked last year on a media production center for the TTP.

Qari Ayyub Bashir is described as IMU’s financial head and part of their leadership council. The statement said that he has coordinated financial and logistic support for the IMU’s operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan.