U.S. and Arab States Target Individuals for Financing Terrorism in Yemen

The U.S. and several Arab states jointly designated several individuals and organizations accused of financing and supporting al-Qaeda and Islamic State (IS) in Yemen.

The U.S. was backed by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar.

The designations came down through the newly inaugurated Terrorist Financing Targeting Center. Under these sanctions, all assets of the targeted individuals subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. citizens are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. The sanctions also prohibit them from traveling to the U.S. and the Gulf member countries that contribute to the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center.

In May, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to create the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC), in an attempt to confront new and evolving threats arising from terrorist financing. The U.S. and Saudi Arabia are the co-chairs of the center, with Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the UAE as members.

The U.S. imposed the new sanctions on eight individuals and a business affiliated with the Islamic State in Yemen and with Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Among the individuals targeted was Abu Sulayman al-Adani, who has been the head of Islamic State’s Yemen affiliate since 2013. Al Khayr Supermarket was targeted in the sanctions for being owned by Sayf Abdulrab Salem al-Hayashi, a weapons dealer for IS and AQAP.

In addition, the Gulf States also designated Nayif Salih Salim al-Qaysi, Abd al-Wahhab Muhammad Abd al-Rahman al-Humayqani, Hashim Muhsin Aydarus al-Hamid, and Rahmah Charitable Organization for allegedly supporting AQAP’s operations.

Over the past few years, the U.S. and the Gulf States have worked together to strengthen cooperation on countering the financing of terrorism. Information sharing, regular high-level and expert-level engagement, and joint disruptive actions have played a major role in countering terrorism in the region.

These new sanctions are the first joint sanctions action by the U.S. and Gulf states since the establishment of the TFTC back in May.

In June, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain, along with Egypt severed travel, trade and diplomatic ties to Qatar, accusing Qatar of supporting terrorist groups. The four countries also placed 59 individuals and 12 organizations that were Qatar-based or funded by Qatar on a list for links to terrorism. Several of those designated by the TFTC were previously on the Qatar-based list.

In July, Qatar signed an agreement with the US on intelligence and finance cooperation in tackling terrorism. Qatar has denied the accusations from the other Gulf States and claims commitment to fighting extremism saying it has strengthened its anti-terrorism finance laws. Qatar’s ability or willingness to uphold terror finance agreements has been a source conflict with U.S. officials.

The U.S. has been attempting to ease tensions between the Gulf States and the new sanctions are the first time since June that the Gulf countries have worked together.