US reviewing to designate Haqqani network as FTO

Washington, Sept 28: The US is reviewing whether to designate the entire Haqqani network as a foreign terrorist organisation, even as it has already slapped sanctions against seven of its top leaders, including Badruddin Haqqani who was designated as a global terrorist.

"We are continuing to review whether to designate the entire organisation. Quite a sizeable number of the Haqqani kingpins have been individually designated, but we are continuing to review the issue with regard to the whole organization," the State Department spokesperson, Victoria Nuland, told reporters.

The State Department has carried out a number of Executive Order 13224 designations that target, essentially the kingpins of the Haqqani Network financiers, leadership, as well as some of its most dangerous operatives.

In 2008 the US targeted Siraj Haqqani, in 2011 Badruddin Haqqani, Sangeen Zadran in 2011, and on the Treasury side, we designated Nasiruddin Haqqani in 2010, Khalil Haqqani in 2011, Ahmed Jan Zadran in 2011, as well as Fazl Rabi in 2011.

Badruddin is a top leader in the al Qaeda-linked Haqqani Network, has been designated by the US State Department as a terrorist in May this year.

"As we've looked at individual members of the Haqqani Network, we have made determinations, either on the State Department side or on the Treasury side, to make designations against them, particularly when we had real smoking gun evidence against individuals. And as I said, we are reviewing the organization as a whole now," Nuland said in response to a question.

When asked about the delay in declaring Haqqani network as a foreign terrorist organization, Nuland said there are a number of legal things that have to go into making these designations, particularly when one designates a group as a whole, and put a big blanket over a diverse network.

"That review is ongoing now and when we have something to say, we will say it," she said.

PTI