Press Statement

Adam Ereli,   Deputy Spokesman

Washington, DC, June 3, 2004 – Secretary of State Colin L. Powell designated, effective today, Hassan Abdullah Hersi al-Turki, leader of a faction of the Somali terrorist organization al-Itihaad al-Islamiya, under Executive Order 13224 on terrorism financing. This action effectively blocks his assets in the United States held by U.S. persons and bars most transactions with him. Executive Order 13224 authorizes the Secretary to designate foreign entities and individuals he determines -- in consultation with the Attorney General, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Secretary of Homeland Security -- to have committed, or to pose significant risk of committing, acts of terror that threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States.

President Bush designated al-Itihaad al-Islamiya on September 24, 2001, as part of the original annex to Executive Order 13224.

Hassan Abdullah Hersi al-Turki, also known as Hassan Turki, has been associated with al-Qaida and has provided support for acts of terrorism. For these reasons, the Secretary made today’s designation. Because Hassan Turki has links to al-Qaida, the United States will ask today that the UN 1267 Sanctions Committee include him on its consolidated list maintained pursuant to relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, including 1267 and 1526. Once Hassan Turki’s name is listed, all UN Member States are obligated to impose certain sanctions against him, specifically an arms embargo and a travel ban, as well as a freeze on his funds, other financial assets and economic resources and a prohibition on their nationals and any persons in their territories from making available to him any funds, other financial assets and economic resources.

2004/623

Released on June 3, 2004

Source: US Department of State