By NNN-KUNA
Washington : US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has designated as a terrorist group the al-Qaeda-inspired Fatah al-Islam, an organisation still engaged in a fierce battle with the Lebanese armed forces north of the country.
“As a result of this designation, all property, and interests in property which Fatah al-Islam has in the US, or which enters the US or comes under the control of US persons, are blocked,” said a statement released Monday by the State Department.
Under Executive Order 13224, this decision, taken end of last week, cuts off Fatah al-Islam from the US financial system, describing the organisation as “an offshoot of the Syrian backed” Palestinian group, Fatah al-Intifada, and singling out the leadership of Shakir al-Absi, who was involved in the killing of the US diplomat Laurence Foley in Jordan in 2002.
The Lebanese army is still launching since last May an offensive to root out the Fatah al-Islam, resulting in the death of over 130 Lebanese soldiers in the Nahr al-Bared camp, north of Lebanon.
“The United States condemns the recent violence perpetrated by Fatah al-Islam in the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp and supports the government of Lebanon and its security forces in their efforts to promote stability and rule of law throughout the country,” added the statement.
The State Department called upon the international community “to choke off” the sources of financial support of these terrorist organisations and to prevent their flow across international borders.