The United States imposed terrorism-related sanctions on three individuals and their affiliated companies for laundering money for Hezbollah, the Lebanese group designated as a terrorist organization by Washington, the US Department of the Treasury said in a press release on Friday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th December, 2019) The United States imposed terrorism-related sanctions on three individuals and their affiliated companies for laundering money for Hezbollah, the Lebanese group designated as a terrorist organization by Washington, the US Department of the Treasury said in a press release on Friday."These designations underscore the extent to which Hezbollah and its affiliates engage in illicit economic activity that prioritizes the terrorist group's own economic interests over those of the Lebanese people," the release said.
The sanctions target Lebanon-based Nazem Said Ahmad, an art and luxury goods dealer with longstanding ties to Africa's "blood diamond" trade, as one of the biggest financial supporters of Hezbollah, the release said.
The Treasury Department also said in the release that it sanctioned Saleh Assi, who is based in the Democratic Republic of Congo and laundered money through Ahmad's diamond businesses.
A third sanctioned individual, Lebanon-based financier Adham Husayn Tabaja, maintained ties to senior Hezbollah officials, as well as Hezbollah's armed faction Islamic Jihad, which is responsible for executing Hezbollah's terrorist attacks worldwide, the release said.
In addition, the Treasury Department said it also sanctioned Lebanon-based accountant Tony Saab, who has provided support to Assi.
