The Obama administration announced Wednesday that it has sanctioned "three al Qaeda senior members located in Iran" for funneling money and moving terrorist operative across the Middle East, according to an announcement by the Treasury Department.
The three operatives, who are receiving shelter in Iran, were found to be supporting "networks that help al Qaeda move money and operatives from South Asia and across the Middle East by imposing sanctions on three al Qaeda senior members located in Iran," according to the Treasury Department, which announced a new effort to "disrupt the operations."
"Today’s action sanctions senior al Qaeda operatives responsible for moving money and weapons across the Middle East," Adam Szubin, acting under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a statement. "Treasury remains committed to targeting al Qaeda’s terrorist activity and denying al Qaeda and its critical support networks access to the international financial system."
The new sanctions will empower the United States to seize "all property subject to U.S. jurisdiction" and stop any American from conducting transactions with the individuals.
"Specifically, Treasury designated Faisal Jassim Mohammed Al-Amri Al-Khalidi (Al-Khalidi), Yisra Muhammad Ibrahim Bayumi (Bayumi), and Abu Bakr Muhammad Muhammad Ghumayn (Ghumayn) as Specially Designated Global Terrorists pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 for acting for or on behalf of al Qaeda," according to the Treasury Department.
The operatives were found to be working in Iran for several years and they are ranked as top members of al Qaeda.
Bayimi in particular "served as a mediator with Iranian authorities," according to information provided by the Treasury Department.
It remains unclear at this point if the administration will specifically target Iran and its government for action as part of its role in working with these terrorists.
Update 11:46 a.m.: Following publication, Mike Pompeo (R., Kan.) a member of the House Intelligence Committee, told the Free Beacon, "Today’s Treasury Department sanctions on three al-Qaeda leaders are important in our efforts to rid the world of terrorists. What is new, and counter to the Obama administration’s narrative, is that these terrorists have been working directly with Iranian authorities and have lived in Iran for several years. The question is: how will President Obama respond as the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, Iran, continues to promote terrorism?"