Photo: A screenshot of Executive Order 13224 blocking Terrorist Property.

[An E-Bangladesh Report]

The US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice on March 6 designated Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami, Bangladesh as a ‘foreign terrorist organisation’ and as a ‘specially designated global terrorist’ under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224. 

The Harakat leader signed the February 1998 fatwa sponsored by Usama bin Ladin that declared American civilians to be legitimate targets for attack.   

Since then, HUJI-B has been implicated in a number of terrorist attacks in Bangladesh and abroad, said a release of the American Center Thursday. 

It said that the designation meant that it was illegal for persons in the United States or subject to US jurisdiction to provide material support to HUJI-B; required US financial institutions to freeze assets held by HUJI-B; freezed all property and interests in property of HUJI-B that were in the United States, come within the United States, or within the control of U.S. persons; and enables the United States to deny visas to representatives of HUJI-B. 

Bangladesh has been a strong partner of the US in fighting terrorism, and has taken effective action to bring HUJI-B terrorists to justice and to prevent further attacks.   

‘We applaud Bangladesh’s efforts to fight terrorism and are committed to further strengthening this partnership as we redouble our efforts to counter HUJI-B and other terrorist organizations around the globe,’ it added.         

On March 5, 2008 Secretary Rice designated Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami/Bangladesh (HUJI-B) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224. 

The leader of HUJI-B signed the February 1998 fatwa sponsored by Usama bin Ladin that declared American civilians to be legitimate targets for attack.  Since then, HUJI-B has been implicated in a number of terrorist attacks in Bangladesh and abroad. 

This designation means that it is illegal for persons in the United States or subject to U.S. jurisdiction to provide material support to HUJI-B; requires U.S. financial institutions to freeze assets held by HUJI-B; freezes all property and interests in property of HUJI-B that are in the United States, come within the United States, or within the control of U.S. persons; and enables the United States to deny visas to representatives of HUJI-B. 

Bangladesh has been a strong partner of the United States in fighting terrorism, and has taken effective action to bring HUJI-B terrorists to justice and to prevent further attacks.  We applaud Bangladesh’s efforts to fight terrorism and are committed to further strengthening this partnership as we redouble our efforts to counter HUJI-B and other terrorist organizations around the globe.