International
US and Canada target major international fundraiser for foreign terrorist organization PFLP
WASHINGTON Today, in a joint action with Canada, the U.S. Department of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, or Samidoun, a fake charity that serves as an international fundraiser for the Popular Front for the Terrorist Palestine Liberation Organization (PFLP). The PFLP, which was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. Department of State in October 1997 and October 2001 respectively, uses Samidoun to conduct fundraising operations in Europe and North America. Also designated today, Khaled Barakat, member of the PFLP leadership. Together, Samidoun and Barakat play a critical role in raising external funds for the PFLP. Today's action is being taken pursuant to Counterterrorism Executive Order (EO) 13224, as amended.
As part of a coordinated effort, the Government of Canada listed Samidoun as a terrorist entity under its Criminal Code, effective Friday, October 11. Entity listing is a public means of identifying a group or individual as being associated with terrorism. The Criminal Code prohibits certain actions linked to terrorist groups, including those linked to the financing of terrorism, such as knowingly handling property belonging to a terrorist.
Organizations like Samidoun pose as charitable actors that claim to provide humanitarian aid to those in need, but are actually diverting funds for much-needed aid to support terrorist groups, said Deputy Deputy Bradley T. Smith. Acting Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. The United States, along with Canada and our like-minded partners, will continue to disrupt those who seek to fund the PFLP, Hamas, and other terrorist organizations.
Canada remains committed to working with its key partners and allies, such as the United States, to counter terrorist organizations and their fundraisers, noted the Honorable Dominic LeBlanc, Canadian Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and of Intergovernmental Affairs. Today's joint action with the United States sends a strong message that our two countries will not tolerate this type of activity and will do everything in our power to ensure robust measures are in place to fight against the financing of terrorism.
In coordination with Canada, OFAC targets a fake fundraiser whose efforts supported terrorism. When terrorists and terrorist organizations abuse the nonprofit sector, legitimate organizations have a harder time obtaining financial services. This impacts their ability to meet basic human needs like food, medicine and shelter in Gaza and the West Bank. By publicly identifying fake charities, this action reduces the overall risk of the NPO sector and preserves legitimate humanitarian organizations' access to financial services. This action builds on OFAC's recent action of October 7, 2024, which sought to expose terrorists and terrorist organizations that abuse the nonprofit sector by raising funds under the guise of charity, and was also made possible by key financial crime data from the Treasury. Law Enforcement Network (FinCEN).
THE POPULAR FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE (PFLP)
The PFLP is a terrorist group operating in Gaza and the West Bank. It has been designated an FTO since 1997 and is the second largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), despite boycotting PLO meetings since 2018. The PFLP has remained engaged in terrorist activities through its armed apparatus, the Martyr Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, and the group has been active in the Israel-Hamas conflict, including participating in the horrific attacks on Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023. The PFLP has not held any leadership positions in the within the PLO since 2016.
PFLP FUNDRAISING: SAMIDOUN AND BARAKAT
The Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network (Samidoun), a front organization based in Vancouver, Canada and created by the PFLP, helps raise funds for the PFLP. Samidoun serves as a front for the group in countries where the PFLP is declared a terrorist organization. While the organization ostensibly supports Palestinian prisoners and their family members, in practice Samidoun provides financial support to the sanctioned PFLP. In addition to today's joint action with Canada, Samidoun has also been banned by Germany in a separate action in November 2023.
Khaled Barakat (Barakat) is a Canadian citizen and member of the PFLP and is part of the group's leadership abroad. Its fundraising and recruiting efforts support the PFLP's terrorist activities against Israel. Barakat has already publicly acknowledged Samidoun's affiliation with the PFLP, despite instructions from PFLP leaders to maintain the confidential nature of the relationship.
Samidoun is designated pursuant to EO 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled or directed by, or for having acted for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the PFLP. Barakat is designated pursuant to EO 13224, as amended, for acting or purporting to act for or on behalf of the PFLP, directly or indirectly.
IMPLICATIONS OF SANCTIONS
As a result of today's action, all property and interests in the property of the designated persons described above and any entity owned directly or indirectly by them, 50 percent or more, individually or with d Other blocked persons, who are in the United States or in the possession or control of American persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempted, OFAC regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or in transit) of the United States that involve property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.
U.S. persons must comply with OFAC regulations, including all U.S. citizens and permanent resident aliens, regardless of location, all persons in the United States, and all entities incorporated in the States. -United States and their branches abroad. Non-U.S. persons are also subject to certain OFAC prohibitions. For example, non-U.S. persons are prohibited from provoking or conspiring to cause U.S. persons to intentionally or unintentionally violate U.S. sanctions, as well as from engaging in conduct that evades U.S. sanctions. Violations of OFAC regulations may result in civil or criminal penalties.
Additionally, non-U.S. financial institutions and others that engage in certain transactions or activities with sanctioned entities and individuals may be at risk of sanctions or subject to enforcement action. Prohibitions include making any contribution or supply of funds, goods or services by, to or for the benefit of any designated person, or receiving any contribution or supply of funds, goods or services from 'such a person.
OFAC can impose civil penalties for sanctions violations on the basis of strict liability, meaning that a person subject to U.S. jurisdiction can be held civilly liable even if that person did not know or had no reason to know that she was carrying out a transaction prohibited by the sanctions. laws and regulations administered by OFAC. OFAC's Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidance provides more information about OFAC's enforcement of U.S. economic sanctions, including factors that OFAC generally considers in determining an appropriate response to a violation related. For more information on complying with U.S. sanctions and export control laws, please see the Tri-Seal Compliance Brief from the Department of Commerce, Department of Treasury, and Department of Justice.
Additionally, engaging in certain transactions with today's designated individuals carries a risk of secondary sanctions pursuant to EO 13224, as amended. Under this authority, OFAC may prohibit or impose strict conditions on the opening or maintenance in the United States of a correspondent account or pass-through account of a foreign financial institution that has knowingly made or facilitate any major transaction on behalf of a specially designated person. Global terrorist.
The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC's ability to designate and add individuals to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) list, but also from its willingness to remove individuals from the SDN list in accordance with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about positive change in behavior. For more information on the process of requesting removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN list, please refer to OFAC Frequently Asked Questions 897 here. For detailed information on the process of submitting a request to be removed from an OFAC sanctions list, please click here.
Treasury remains committed to enabling the flow of legitimate humanitarian assistance meeting the basic human needs of vulnerable populations, while continuing to deny resources to malicious actors. Accordingly, OFAC sanctions programs contain provisions for legitimate humanitarian support to vulnerable populations, including authorizations for certain humanitarian transactions in support of the activities of nongovernmental organizations. For more information, please see the relevant authorizations and guidance on the OFAC website.
Click here for more information on today's nominees.
Additional Treasury resources to combat terrorist financing and provide humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people:
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