3 Pakistanis named as 'terrorist facilitators' by US

The United States on Wednesday sanctioned three individuals allegedly linked to Pakistan-based terror networks.

A US Treasury Department release said its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated three individuals - Rahman Zeb Faqir Muhammad, Hizb Ullah Astam Khan and Dilawar Khan Nadir Khan - as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) for providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.

According to the statement, all property and interests in property of the three were blocked and the department prohibited the US citizens from engaging in transactions with them.

"Treasury continues to aggressively pursue and expose radicals who support terrorist organisations and run illicit financial networks across South Asia. We are targeting operatives who have provided logistical support, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other technological assistance to Al-Qaeda, Lashkar-e Taiba, Taliban and other terrorist groups," Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Sigal Mandelker said.

He said the action was a part of the US administration's broader "efforts to disrupt terrorist fundraising".

The US called on "the Pakistani government and others in South Asia region to work with Washington to deny sanctuary to these dangerous individuals" who acted on or behalf of US and UN-designated terrorist Shaykh Aminullah.

Rahman Zeb Faqir Muhammad (Rahman Zeb) provided financial, material or technological support to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a UN-designated terrorist organisation based in Pakistan.

Hizb Ullah Astam Khan (Hizb Ullah) previously worked for Shaykh Aminullah as an IED expert in Kunar province of Afghanistan, where he deployed IEDs targeting Afghan and coalition forces.

Hizb Ullah was also involved with shipments of IED precursor chemicals supplied from Pakistan to Afghanistan for the Taliban and Jamaat-ul-Dawa al-Qu'ran (JDQ).

Dilawar Khan Nadir Khan (Dilawar) was responsible for handling Aminullah's accommodations in Pakistan and relaying his messages. Dilawar also facilitated funds transfers, including international transactions, on behalf of Aminullah.