Fresh US sanctions crack down on Hizballah ‘operatives’ and entities in Lebanon and South America

The United States has designated several individuals and entities, alleging they are ‘key Hizballah operatives and financial facilitators in South America and Lebanon.’

‘This action includes Amer Mohamed Akil Rada, who in addition to his role as a senior Hizballah operative, was one of the operational members of Hizballah who carried out the terrorist attack against the Asociacion Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) in Argentina in 1994 that killed 85 people,’ the US Treasury Department said, 12 September.

‘Amer and his associates manage a commercial enterprise for Hizballah, including charcoal exports to Lebanon,’ it said, adding that the action was taken in coordination with the Drug Enforcement Administration (‘DEA’).

Amer’s son, Mahdy Akil Helbaw and brother, Samer Akil Rada, were among the designated individuals, as were Salman Raouf Salman and Ali Ismail Ajrouch.

Treasury said that its Office of Financial Assets Control (‘OFAC’) ‘is designating this South America- and Lebanon-based network of family members, business associates, and companies under E.O. 13224, as amended, which targets terrorists, terrorist organizations, leaders, and officials of terrorist groups, and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.’

The designated entities were identified as Venezuela-based BCI Technologies, Colombia-based Zanga S.A.S. and Lebanon-based company Black Diamond SARL.

The Treasury statement warned that ‘engaging in certain transactions with the individuals and entities designated today entails risk of secondary sanctions pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended.’