US sanctions al Qaeda, Taliban financiers

WASHINGTON: The US Treasury announced on Thursday that it had imposed sanctions on two "high-profile" Pakistani trust fund chiefs allegedly linked to terrorism.

They were identified as Mohammed Mazhar, director of Al-Akhtar Trust, and Mufti Abdul Rahim, leader of Al-Rashid Trust, both Pakistani charities whose assets under US jurisdiction were frozen, the Treasury said in a statement.

Americans have also been prohibited from engaging in any transactions with them. Mazhar was accused of supporting the Al-Qaeda terror network and the Taliban militant group while Rahim was charged with funding the Taliban.

"Today's designation of these two high-profile financiers of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, who are also leaders of Al-Akhtar Trust and Al-Rashid Trust, further exposes those organisations' continuing support for terrorism under the guise of charitable activity," said Treasury under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence Stuart Levey.