US designates Hajji 'Abd al-Nasir as global terrorist

The United States Department of State on Tuesday designated Hajji 'Abd al-Nasir as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).

In a press note, the Department of State stated that the US has imposed sanctions on foreign individuals who have committed or pose a significant risk of committing "acts of terrorism".

"Today's designation seeks to deny al-Nasir the resources to plan and carry out terrorist attacks. Among other consequences, all of his property and interests subject to US jurisdiction are blocked, and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with him," the statement noted.

The Department of State also underscored that al-Nasir has held several leadership positions in the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and SDGT.

Within the past five years, al-Nasir has served as an ISIS Military Amir in Syria as well as chair of the ISIS Delegated Committee, the council that reports to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and exercises administrative control of the terrorist organization's affairs.

The Delegated Committee is responsible for planning and issuing orders related to ISIS's military operations, tax collections, religious police, and commercial and security operations.

Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the Department of State Ambassador Nathan A Sales said, "ISIS is down but not out. As ISIS continues to lose ground on the battlefield, we must starve it of the resources it uses to commit terrorism around the world. Today's designation is another step towards ensuring the enduring defeat of ISIS."

The statement noted that the designations of terrorist individuals and groups focus on exposing and isolating them and denying them access to the US financial system. "Moreover, designations can assist the law enforcement actions of other US agencies and governments," it added.

"Today's action notifies the US public and the international community that Hajji 'Abd al-Nasir has committed, or poses a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism," the press note stated.

In a coordinated global action taken on Monday, the United Nations Security Council's 1267 ISIL and al-Qa'ida Sanction Committee added al-Nasir to its Sanctions List, subjecting him to an international asset freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo.