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| Lebanese Shiite women carry Hezbollah flags in Beirut’s southern suburbs on May 26, 2008. The U.S. Treasury Department said a Lebanese businessman allegedly helped a man linked to Hezbollah circumvent sanctions |
By Danielle Haynes, UPI
The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Thursday issued sanctions on a Lebanese businessman and seven companies he owns for his support of the militant group Hezbollah.
The department said Muhammad Abdallah al-Amin secretly held funds for Adham Husayn Tabaja, who has connections to senior leadership in Hezbollah. Tabaja had a "significant amount of funds in al-Amin's name at a Lebanese bank," a statement from U.S. officials said, adding that al-Amin helped Tabaja circumvent sanctions.
"Hezbollah is an Iranian-proxy, and this administration is focused on exposing and disrupting its terrorist funding networks," said Sigal Mandelker, under secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. "We are exerting extraordinary pressure on Hizballah financiers like Tabaja to halt their pernicious activities in Lebanon and beyond."
Al-Amin also allegedly was involved in financial activities with Muhammad Fallah Kallas, whom the Treasury previously designated a global terrorist.
The Treasury also sanction al-Amin's businesses, including Sierra Gas S.A.L. Offshore, Lama Foods S.A.R.L., Lama Foods International Offshore S.A.L., Impulse S.A.R.L., Impulse International S.A.L. Offshore, M. Marine S.A.L. Offshore and Thaingui S.A.L. Offshore.
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