The U.S. Department of the Treasury today
designated nine individuals and two entities that have provided
financial and logistical support to the Hizballah terrorist
organization. The designees are located in the Tri-Border
Area (TBA) of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay and have provided
financial and other services for Specially Designated Global
Terrorist (SDGT) Assad Ahmad Barakat, who was previously
designated in June 2004 for his support to Hizballah leadership.
"Assad Ahmad Barakat's network in the
Tri-Border Area is a major financial artery to Hizballah
in Lebanon," said Adam Szubin, Director of the Office
of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). "Today's action aims
to disrupt this channel and to further unravel Barakat's
financial network."
This designation was taken pursuant to Executive
Order 13224, which is aimed at shutting down the financial
flows supporting terrorism. Designations prohibit transactions
or dealings between U.S. persons and the named individuals
and entities and also freeze any assets they may have under
U.S jurisdiction.
IDENTIFYING INFORMATION
Muhammad Yusif Abdallah
Muhammad Yusif Abdallah is a senior Hizballah
leader in the TBA and an important contributor of funds
to Hizballah, notably hosting a fundraiser for the terrorist
group in the TBA in 2004. Abdallah has personally carried
money for Hizballah, serving as a courier of Hizballah funds
from the TBA to Lebanon. He has traveled to Lebanon to maintain
connections to the Hizballah hierarchy and has met with
members of Hizballah's security division. Likewise, Abdallah
has also received money from Hizballah to support the Hizballah
network in the TBA.
Abdallah is an owner and manager of the
Galeria Page building in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, a shopping
center with several businesses owned by Hizballah members.
He reportedly pays a percentage of his income to Hizballah
based on profits he receives from Galeria Page. In addition
to his Hizballah-related activities, Abdallah has also been
involved in the import of contraband electronics, passport
falsification, credit card fraud, and trafficking counterfeit
U.S. dollars.
Hamzi Ahmad Barakat
Hamzi Ahmad Barakat is a member of Hizballah
in the TBA suspected of trafficking in narcotics, counterfeit
U.S. dollars, arms, and explosives. He has owned and held
the position of general manager of Casa Hamze, a store in
the Galeria Page shopping center that has employed Hizballah
members and has served as a source of funding for Hizballah.
Hamzi Ahmad Barakat and SDGT Assad Ahmad Barakat are brothers
and have been partners at Casa Hamze.
Hatim Ahmad Barakat
Information passed from the Barakat network
to Hizballah in Lebanon goes mainly through two individuals:
SDGT Assad Ahmad Barakat and his brother Hatim Ahmad Barakat.
Hatim Ahmad Barakat has traveled to Chile to collect funds
intended for Hizballah, and as of early 2003, he was reported
to be a significant shareholder in at least two businesses
in Iquique, Chile believed to generate funds in support
of Hizballah. Hatim Ahmad Barakat traveled frequently to
Iquique, Chile and is possibly managing or assisting a group
of suspected Hizballah members. Hatim Ahmad Barakat reportedly
oversees the sending of funds from Iquique to Hizballah
in Lebanon.
Hatim Ahmad Barakat has maintained business
relationships with senior Hizballah leaders in the TBA and
is deeply involved in Assad Ahmad Barakat's business affairs,
having co-owned several companies with him. Hatim Ahmad
Barakat co-owned SDGT Casa Apollo with brothers Assad and
Hamzi Ahmad Barakat.
Muhammad Fayez Barakat
Muhammad Fayez Barakat is responsible for
the Barakat network's finances in the TBA, and in this capacity
he arranges the transfer of money from the TBA to the Middle
East. As recently as July 2006, Muhammad Fayez Barakat collected
money on behalf of Hizballah in the TBA, hosting fundraisers
for Hizballah in the region and sending money to the terrorist
group in Lebanon. Muhammad Fayez Barakat has also provided
financial assistance to his cousin, SDGT Assad Ahmad Barakat.
Muhammad Tarabain Chamas
Muhammad Tarabain Chamas is a member of
Hizballah in the TBA, specifically Hizballah's counterintelligence
element in the TBA and provides Hizballah with security
information on residents there. Muhammad Tarabain Chamas
is the private secretary for senior TBA Hizballah leader
Muhammad Yusif Abdallah and the principal administrator
of the Galeria Page building in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay.
In addition to maintaining close contacts with TBA Hizballah
members, Muhammad Tarabain Chamas maintains daily contact
with Hizballah members in Lebanon and Iran and has transported
funds from Hizballah members in the TBA to Hizballah in
Lebanon.
Saleh Mahmoud Fayad
Saleh Mahmoud Fayad has served as a counterintelligence
operative for Hizballah in the TBA, and as of late July
2006, collected money on behalf of Hizballah in the TBA.
In 2000, Saleh Mahmoud Fayad reportedly traveled to Lebanon
and Iran and met with senior Hizballah leadership.
Sobhi Mahmoud Fayad
Sobhi Mahmoud Fayad has been a senior TBA
Hizballah official who served as a liaison between the Iranian
embassy and the Hizballah community in the TBA. He has also
been a professional Hizballah operative who has traveled
to Lebanon and Iran to meet with Hizballah leaders. Fayad
received military training in Lebanon and Iran and was involved
in illicit activities involving drugs and counterfeit U.S.
dollars. Sobhi Mahmoud Fayad has also served as Assad Ahmad
Barakat's executive assistant.
Sobhi Mahmoud Fayad was sentenced to a six
and a half year prison sentence in Paraguay for tax evasion.
During his trial in 2002, the counterterrorism unit of the
Paraguayan National Police described Sobhi Mahmoud Fayad's
money transfers to a Hizballah-controlled charity in Lebanon.
Ali Muhammad Kazan
According to information available to the
U.S. Government, Ali Muhammad Kazan possibly succeeded Assad
Ahmad Barakat as the leader in the political structure of
Hizballah in the TBA. He also reportedly served as a commanding
member of counterintelligence for Hizballah in the TBA.
As of August 2006, Ali Muhammad Kazan helped raise more
that $500,000 for Hizballah from Lebanese businessmen in
the TBA. Since 2001, he traveled frequently to Lebanon to
receive guidance and instructions from Hizballah leaders,
including a message from Hizballah Secretary General Hassan
Nasrallah. Ali Muhammad Kazan also maintained close commercial
ties to SDGT Assad Ahmad Barakat.
Farouk Omairi
Farouk Omairi is a principal member of the
Hizballah community in the TBA and served as a coordinator
for Hizballah members in the region. Farouk Omairi has been
a key figure in the procurement of false Brazilian and Paraguayan
documentation and has assisted individuals in the TBA with
obtaining Brazilian citizenship illegally through the submission
of false documentation. Farouk Omairi was also involved
in narco-trafficking operations between South America, Europe,
and the Middle East.
Casa Hamze
Casa Hamze is an electronics company located
at the Galeria Page shopping center in Ciudad del Este,
Paraguay. The store is owned by Hizballah member Hamzi Ahmad
Barakat and has employed Hizballah members in the TBA. Money
was reportedly sent from Casa Hamze to Hizballah.
Galeria Page
Galeria Page, a shopping center in Ciudad
del Este, Paraguay, serves as a source of fundraising for
Hizballah in the TBA and is locally considered the central
headquarters for Hizballah members in the TBA. Galeria Page
is managed and owned by TBA Hizballah members, including
members of the Barakat network. Local Hizballah members
operate businesses within Galeria Page and funds generated
from these businesses support Hizballah. Muhammad Yusif
Abdallah, a manager of Galeria Page, paid a regular quota
to Hizballah based on profits he received from Galeria Page.
Shops in the building have also been involved in illicit
activity, including the sale of counterfeit U.S. dollars.
More
information on the designation of Assad Ahmad Barakat
is available on the U.S. Treasury website.
Source: U.S.
Department of the Treasury
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