Commander of NATO forces Gen. David Petraeus wants some leaders of the Haqqani network added to the list, a senior U.S. Defense official in Washington said Wednesday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in order to describe internal administration discussions.
On Tuesday, Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., urged the State Department to take the same action. Levin is chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Both asked for sanctions against the al-Qaida-linked group, led by Jalaluddin Haqqani and his son Siraj. The Haqqani network launches attacks against U.S. forces in eastern Afghanistan from the Waziristan tribal region in Pakistan.
Formally designating leaders of the group as terrorists could anger Pakistani officials, because it would require that government to put pressure on any country harboring those leaders.
The listings also could hamper efforts by Afghan President Hamid Karzai to reconcile with insurgents in his effort to negotiate an end to the war.
State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said the department has studied the question, but not reached a decision.
"The Haqqani network has been known to us for some time, this is not something that snuck up on us," he said Wednesday. "This is an ongoing process ... Developments change over time and it is something that we are actively looking at."
A group of lawmakers also has been urging the State Department to designate the Pakistani Taliban organization Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, as a foreign terrorist organization.
Officials said that review also is under way and was speeded up after the May 1 failed Times Square bombing. The man who has pleaded guilty in the New York incident, Pakistani-born American Faisal Shahzad, said he trained with the Pakistani Taliban to build bombs, then returned to the U.S. to launch an attack that would avenge attacks on Muslims by U.S. forces overseas.
TG-782: Treasury Targets Taliban and Haqqani Network Leadership: Treasury Designates Three Financiers Operating in Afghanistan and Pakistan
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury today designated three key leaders and financiers for the Taliban and its affiliated group the Haqqani Network, for supporting acts of terrorism and for acting for or on behalf of the Taliban or the Haqqani Network. Today's designation, pursuant to Executive Order 13224 targets Gul Agha Ishakzai, the head of the Taliban's financial commission; Amir Abdullah, former treasurer to senior Taliban leader Mullah Berader; and Nasiruddin Haqqani, an emissary for the Haqqani Network. The Haqqani Network is a Taliban-affiliated group of militants that operates out of North Waziristan Agency, Pakistan and has been spearheading insurgent activity in Afghanistan. Executive Order 13224 freezes any assets the designees have under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in any transactions with them. Today's designees were added to the United Nations 1267 Consolidated List on July 19, 2010 for being associated with Al-Qa'ida, Usama bin Laden or the Taliban.
"Today's designation of three senior leaders and financiers for the Taliban and its affiliated Haqqani Network builds upon Treasury's longstanding efforts to deprive these extremists of the resources they need to execute their violent activities," said OFAC Director Adam J. Szubin. "We will continue to aggressively work to expose and dismantle the financial networks of terrorist groups in support of the President's goal of a stable Afghanistan."
Gul Agha Ishakzai
Gul Agha Ishakzai is the head of the Taliban's financial commission and is part of a recently-created Taliban council that coordinates the collection of zakat from Baluchistan Province, Pakistan. Gul Agha has collected money for suicide attacks in Kandahar, Afghanistan and has been involved in the disbursement of funds for Taliban fighters and their families.
A childhood friend of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, Gul Agha has served as Omar's principal finance officer and one of his closest advisors. He lived in the presidential palace with Omar during Taliban rule, served as his personal financial secretary and was one of Omar's closest advisors. At one time, individuals were not permitted to meet with Mullah Omar unless approved by Gul Agha. Gul Agha traveled in late 2006 to obtain weapon parts and in December 2005 facilitated the movement of people and goods to Taliban training camps in Iran.
Amir Abdullah
Amir Abdullah has served as treasurer to senior Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Berader and was the former deputy to the Taliban governor of Kandahar Province. Abdullah has traveled to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Libya and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to fundraise and collect money for the Taliban. In 2001, Abdullah helped many senior Taliban members who fled Afghanistan settle in Pakistan. Abdullah also facilitates communications for Taliban leadership and coordinates high-level meetings at the guesthouse of his Karachi residence.
Nasiruddin Haqqani
Nasiruddin Haqqani is a key leader of the Haqqani Network. He is the brother of Sirajuddin Haqqani, previously designated by the U.S. in March 2008 pursuant to E.O. 13224. Nasiruddin Haqqani functions as an emissary for the Haqqani Network and spends much of his time raising money.
From at least 2005 to 2009, Nasiruddin Haqqani collected funds for the Haqqani Network, including during a 2008 fundraising trip to a Gulf state and during regular travel to the (UAE) in 2007. As of mid-2007, Haqqani reportedly received funding from donations from the Gulf region, drug trafficking, and payments from al-Qa'ida. In 2004, he traveled to Saudi Arabia with a Taliban associate to raise funds for the Taliban. Also in 2004, Haqqani provided funds to militants in Afghanistan for the purpose of disrupting the Afghan presidential election.
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