The U.S. Department of the Treasury today designated three individuals for their senior leadership roles in the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), a notoriously violent separatist group operating in the Southern Philippines. The individuals have supported and/or committed terrorist attacks on behalf of the ASG. The Abu Sayyaf Group instills terror throughout Southeast Asia through kidnappings, bombings and brutal killings. This action financially isolates senior members of the ASG, who have planned and carried out vicious attacks on Americans, Filipinos and innocent citizens from around the world, said Patrick O'Brien, the Treasury's Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crime. The individuals named today, Jainal Antel Sali, Jr., Radulan Sahiron, and Isnilon Totoni Hapilon, were designated pursuant to Executive Order 13224. This action freezes any assets the designees may have located under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits transactions between U.S. persons and the designees. The U.S. and Australia are submitting these three individuals to the United Nations 1267 Committee, which will consider adding them to its Consolidated List based on ASG's association with al Qaida and Usama bin Laden. The U.S. Government, through the Department of States Rewards for Justice Campaign, has offered to pay up to 5,000,000 Philippine Pesos (about US $90,910) for the capture of individuals belonging to the ASG, including Sali. Additionally, the Department of Defense's U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) has added Sali, Sahiron and Hapilon to the USPACOM Rewards Program Wanted List as ASG members. The Rewards Program offers up to $200,000 for information leading to the capture of each person. The Philippine Government also has an outstanding reward of 5,000,000 Philippine Pesos for the capture of individuals belonging to the ASG, including Sahiron and Hapilon.
Foreign Terrorist Organizations Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 597
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Official Information
Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) are foreign organizations that are designated by the Secretary of State in accordance with section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as amended. FTO designations play a critical role in our fight against terrorism and are an effective means of curtailing support for terrorist activities and pressuring groups to get out of the terrorism business.
