The US Department of Treasury has imposed sanctions on two Qatari men and added them to its global terrorist watchlist for allegedly supporting extremist groups in Syria.
In a statement released yesterday, Adam J. Szubin, acting under secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said:
“These sanctions target two major facilitators of the al-Nusrah Front (ANF) and al-Qaida. Treasury remains committed to using our financial intelligence and authorities to unravel and disrupt the funding schemes exploited by terrorist groups.”
The two men have been identified as Sa’d bin Sa’d Muhammad Shariyan Al Kaabi and Abdul-Latif Bin Abdallah Salih Muhammad Al Kuwari.
According to the US government, Al Kaabi, also known as Abu Suad, fund-raised inside of Qatar as early as last year for ANF after the group requested money to buy weapons and food.
The 43-year-old also allegedly worked to facilitate a ransom payment for a hostage held by ANF, and has been providing support to the group in Syria since at least 2012, the treasury said.
Meanwhile, Al Kuwari, 41, apparently served as an Al Qaeda security official and collected financial support for the group from Qatari donors, the US said.
He also allegedly worked with known Al-Qaeda operatives in the early 2000s to transfer money to the group in Pakistan.
‘No truth’
It is unclear if the two men are in Qatar, or if they are being held by authorities.
The Gulf country has been cracking down on charities that send funds abroad amid criticism that it is not doing to stop individuals from fundraising for extremist groups.
This latest designation comes the same week that US Secretary of State John Kerry visited Qatar to discuss Iran and the importance of establishing stability and security in the Middle East with Gulf leaders.
Also this week, Qatar’s foreign minister defended the country against accusations that it is communicating with Al-Qaeda-linked groups such as Al Nusra front in Syria.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Dr. Khalid Al Attiyah said:
“All these rumors against Qatar defending the extremists or supporting the extremists in Syria (have) no truth.”
One of the most recent Qataris to be added to the watch list is Abdul Rahman Bin Umair Al Nuaimi.
In December 2013, the US government said that Al Nuaimi – a former Qatar University professor – was at one point overseeing the transfer of more than $2 million monthly to Al Qaeda in Iraq.
He was also accused of ordering the transfer of nearly $600,000 to al-Qaeda via its representative in Syria. Al Nuaimi denied the accusations.
Thoughts?
Note: This article has been corrected to reflect that Abdul Rahman Bin Umair Al Nuaimi is among the most recent Qataris to be added to the watch list, but not the most recent case.
Few days ago Qatar was on the American list of trafficking by the Americans and today two are on the list of terrorists, what seems to be happening?!
Yes, today it’s 2 MORE on the list. See it here in full, all 971 pages of blocked persons and assets. They aren’t the only Qataris on the list.
http://www.treasury.gov/ofac/downloads/t11sdn.pdf
Scary thought, check out all those others Arab nationals that have Qatar ID Nos…. they walk among us….
About 70 on the list.
Some are non Qatari names, but these are only “alleged” you know!
because Qatar is getting stronger than US….
You gathered that from this article?
Don’t you know that Qatar is going to replace the US as the world’s policeman and will dominate economic activity all over the world. Qatari Arabic will soon be the common business language….
Yeah, I just read the economic report on that here on Doha News.
I disagree. Qatar still has far to go to be stronger than the US. Yes, Qatar is number one in terms of GDP per capita. But the US still has the highest GDP, even against the whole Middle East combined.
Qatar Economy still hinges on Oil & LNG (accounting more than 70% of its income). Comparing the US, who is now considered as one of the biggest Oil producer in the world, its oil income is only a measly 2% of its revenue.
Lol
hahaha! Thanks for bringing some humor to this discussion 🙂
We are constantly told that Islamic State and the rest do not represent Islam but the fact is there are a significant number in the Gulf that although not directly support them financially or otherwise are sympathetic to their aims and objectives. For some this a dream of a world dominated by Islam where everyone lives by their rules.
It’s scary to think those we work with or pass by on the streets could be secretly wishing us dead or for us to be attack by Islamic extermists because we don’t share the same beliefs.
It is indeed scary!
But it is even more scary that the Muslim community does not realize why Non-Muslims are very scared from them by now.
Yesterday ISIS posted a Video in which they referred to the ruler of Germany as a dog that should be killed, and asked all Muslims in Germany to take knifes and kill the Kuffars in Germany in their homes.
At the end of the video they murdered two humans with their automatic rifles.
What would happen, if a Christian terrorist group would refer to the ruler of a Qatar in that way and ask all the Christians in Qatar to murder Qatari Muslims in their homes?
Would the Qataris not be scared?
And please don’t say that ISIS members are not Muslims!
If they are not Muslims what are they?
Christians, Jews, Buddhist or what?
Are they referring to Jesus, Buddha, the Bible or the Tora when they carry out these terrible acts ?
A simple and not so well educated person in Germany, Switzerland, France, etc. sees these crazy people, when they cut off the heads of “non-believes” in the name of the prophet. For him this is clearly an act carried out by a Muslim in the name of Islam – he cannot differentiate between a Suni, Shiite, or a religious fanatic. For him the Muslims are a deadly threat to him and his family.
All good Muslims out there have to understand that they will be met with distrust and fear in the future by non-muslims due to the acts of these terrorist.
So it is in their very interest to fight these terrorist harder than anybody else – but what do they do?
If I burn a page of the Koran and put in on Youtube, their will be Mass-Protest in the streets in Pakistan.
Where are these same people when a Kuffar loses his head on video in the name of Islam?
My only explanation is, that there is a wide-spread attitude among Muslims that although they see that the acts off ISIS are a crime – they quietly accept it, because it affects mainly Non-Muslims.
Please prove me wrong!
ISIS members are indeed Muslims, and just like any other Muslim they firmly believe that their interpretation of Islam is correct. That’s pretty scary to non-Muslims. What’s even scarier is that the transition from fervent Muslim to radical ISIS type Muslim doesn’t seem to be all that dramatic as evidenced by the number of converts flocking from foreign countries to the caliphate and the number of “hate preachers” that are active in those countries. And it’s not hard to understand why it’s happening – mainstream (as opposed to radical) Muslim’s also have a daily internal struggle to integrate in countries that have liberal and democratic cultures that are so out of step with their beliefs – not helped by the fear of those countries that their liberal culture is slowly being eroded which further isolates what they see as invasive cultures. The call of someone who says “come to us, you will live the true life of a Muslim in accordance with your beliefs” must be very strong and indeed liberating enough to overcome any concerns they may have about the methodology by which the caliphate is being established.
Muslims do not think this way though. If you criticize them you are a hater and you love Israel and USA and all that stuff.
The thing that Muslims do not get is that, they will soon finish one another. All they need is an atomic bomb and it will be over. I think Iran is on the right track already lol
True Muslims will never accept or listen to these terrorists. (ISIS, Al Qaeda etc) You are totally wrong to say ISIS are Muslims. True Muslims will not kill innocent people. What you don’t understand and like every innocent Muslims including me is that Western media’s bias towards Muslims. (These so called media institutions are run by Christians or Jews) How can you prove that I am accepting the actions of ISIS? All what I can do is to hate them for what they do. Many leading Islamic /Muslim institutions have already rejected and banned the ISIS? What else we can do? ISIS kills everyone who are against them, not just non-Muslims. Al-Qaeda does the same. We innocent Muslims are being targeted by the so called Western Media institutions and the so called Muslim terrorist like ISIS, Al Qaeda etc. So who is actually being affected more by these people? (Sorry my English is not so good)
Then why don’t u pack your stuff and go back to your home country?
You speak like a terrorist and not as a civilised member of humanity. Learn to embraces the differences in humanity and understand not everyone wants to beleive the same things as you.
You ‘re always whining, about the weather, the country…. everything. If you’re not happy here why don’t you return to your home country.
I don’t need to explain myself to someone who believes that his colleagues or employers might be Terrorist and are willing to kill him only because he’s non-Muslim. You know nothing about Islam and I’m here to preach about Islam anyway my point is you’re too much DRAMA MIMH .
*Not here
Another mosque bombing in Saudi, at least 15 dead. Still feeling safe in Qatar?
Happy weekend MIMH .
Cheers. You too. Getting some serious gaming time in with a couple of large ones. Even taking in a brunch tomorrow, rare for me as its too much of an expat cliche….
Deleting this thread for getting off track.
This my friend is exactly the reaction of a Muslim that scares the Non-Muslims!
It implies that you agree with the acts of the terrorists and you wish us dead or as a minimum out of the country.
Are you surprised that Non-Muslims in Europe develop Islamophobia?
Should they also react like you and tell all Muslims in Europe to pack their stuff and go?
Is this really what we want?
Either you agree with me or you leave my country!
Whose country is it anyway?
Does the country belong to a group of people with certain religious believes, or does the country belong to the people that built it, support it, go to work there, raise their families there and are willing to follow the rules and make compromise in order to enable all people who live there to do so in a peaceful way?
I am sure you did not mean what you wrote, because you would want to also be welcome in another country – wouldn’t you?
The same phrases are used by any far right party all around the world (including Europe). You shouldn’t use it as an excuse for prejudice/islamophobia or any other similar racist behavior (against anyone). There are extremists everywhere and they’re just waiting for their turn.
Dont the right wing parties have a point? Look at all the IS recruits from Europe, they are 2nd gen immigrants who did not or were not allowed to integrate into the host country.
So you’re saying that each country should sustain itself and immigration should be stopped? Otherwise how do you pick which immigrants are good and which are bad (race, religion, sexuality, etc…)?
I think it’s awful that people are easily influenced by the terrorists and that those kids are ruining their lives and others lives but I don’t think the blame lies solely with their parents, for them to integrate they need a society that accepts them.
Also I don’t think that the actions of individuals should be used as a blanket to justify hatred towards large numbers of people which is what far right parties usually campaign for.
I would certainly not support that, people should be free to travel and live where they wish.
However all faith based schools should be closed as this is abuse of children the same as paedophila. Filling their minds in just one belief system and learning that all others are wrong. It is shameful that faith based schools exist in the west and maddrass in place like Pakistan that forment terrorism and exclusion.
Immigration was positive before the internet and online radicalization. I would also blame the immigrating parents for not inculcating secular values in their children. As things stand, Europe’s graciousness is sadly not being reciprocated by some of the 2nd generation immigrants.
In the vast majority of cases they CHOSE not to integrate. Integration is desired by countries that open their doors to immigrants. Culture is never static and integration allows a society to grow and meet the needs of a changing demographic.
I agree completely with the first part of your statement!
Extremists in Europe use a similar language – but it is not right in Europe and it is not right anywhere in the world.
There is one small difference however:
In Europe a majority of people stand up and demonstrate against these extremists and for the freedom and the right to believe in whatever god you chose.
Where exactly are these demonstrations in Qatar, Saudi, Pakistan etc.taking place ?
Surely I am not trying to find an excuse for Islamophobia.
I am merely pointing out, that normal people like me and the guy next door get scared when we see peoples heads cut off, humans beeing burned alive, stoned, or drowned, etc. etc.
Once people are scared, they are very vulnerable to irrational and extremist behavior.
Hence my plea to all the normal Muslims to get of the Sofa and to fight these extremists, who destroy their good name and use their religion as reason to kill humans in the most disgusting ways.
No problem; but only if I can send all other muslim extremists residing in my home country (that seem to enjoy western lifestyle so much) to their country of origin as well.
lol…… but they have rights in the west and demand equal or better treatment.
Really elaborated response…
That is such a weak response for a problem that is both regional and global.
I’m a Muslim and I don’t deny that ISIS is a twisted group of people who are appropriating and distorting religion to support their evil agenda. The reality is that we have to look at what it is in our religion that has allowed such extremism to develop out of what I feel in my heart is a misinterpretation. denying the problem or claiming it is not related to the practice of Islam is to tacitly support it & not join the fight to destroy such an evil ideology.
I believe you are correct, there needs to be an Islamic reformation so it can be claimed back from the religious crazies but that has to come from within the Muslim community. Unfortunatly too many Muslims some in influential positions are “sympathetic” to IS aims.
Reformation to what?
It has always been like that and it used to be worse. Reformation is done when you want to revert to what something used to be once upon a time.
It used to be worse! Only difference is that you now have media devices that can record things!
Was Islam ever peaceful or merciful or non bloody? I am sorry but why not say it like it is rather than play on words?
The problem is that all of u guys don’t have any idea about MIMH and what he writes every day on DNews. My comment was for him he’s never satisfied always whining about everything in this country. I’m not defending ISIS or terrorism I’m a Muslim myself and I’m not proud of what ISIS is doing in the name of Islam. They only represent themselves and not me or any other Muslim
Actually, I have been around a long time and know MIMH activities on here very well. His opinions about Qatar or Islam do not shake my faith or shape my belief.
On the other note, in my opinion we do really need to take the lead in denouncing ISIS. Just like as an American, when my country does something wrong (which can be quite often!) I speak out against it. We have to use our connections and knowledge to promote what is right.
Yes but does the average rural Pakistani or Syrian in their home countries learn of your denouncing of an American Political move? I doubt it.
Just like an average American won’t likely learn of Muslims halfway around the world denouncing Isis.
Media plays a big role in communication. Social media has helped a bit but only if a person is interested in looking at fair and transparent sources. Millions of muslims can denounce Isis but if someone only watches Fox News most likely they will not learn of this. Same goes for Americans denouncing acts and it not reaching some muslims.
You answered your own question in a way. I try to be very active with regard to media and social media; and now live in Washington where we have a large, diverse immigrant population so take advantage daily of the opportunity to share my views.
That’s great! D.C. is a diverse metropolitan city. I was mainly referring to areas that are not diverse in rural parts.
However, in cities immigrants tend to stay in their own bubbled communities so integration and “cultural mixing” is helpful and is key in my opinion. Nothing good can come out of hatred or fear and there is a lot of that in this world right now.
Lisa, I do not believe there is anything specific to Islam that generates or allows extremism to develop. As a non-muslim, and and an amateur student of Eurpoean History, I strobgly believe it is a question of religeous maturity. Islam is some 700 years younger than christianity. Look at the history of so called christian nations between the 11th and 14th century. people accussed of heresy burned at the stake in public executions just for questioning the interpretation of scripture, or challenging the power of a religeous leader. Look at the acts of those leaders – Thomas Cromwell, Wolsley, and many others in Britain, Richelieu in France….the systematic execution of the calvinist movement for publishing the bible in any language other than Latin, making it available to the common man…. the Lollards, rounded up and hanged in mass executions all over Europe, just for possessing a non-latin bible – whole families, even babes in arms were hanged, and then there were the crusades against Islam in what was then called, (by Europe) the Holy Land. The populations of Europe taxed to destitution to fund violent campaigns to drive Islam out of Jerusalem, because, according to the church, “God wills it”.
Then lets look at non-muslim cultural infulences over Muslim communities. Muslin values are constantly under threat of being diluted by non-muslim liberalism. Yes, here in Qatar, more so in KSA, there are restrictions to attempt to limit these, but not everywhere. As a long term Qatar resident, even I am shocked by how non-muslims dress and behave in countires where the restrictions are lessened. Go shopping in Dubai, you’ll see what I mean.
So is it any suprise, then, that there is an undercurrent to push back these influences? To defend their values and cultural identity by removing the threat?
I do not agree with their methods, any more than I agree with the methods used by the middle ages christians, but I understand why Muslims, angered by the dilution of their faith, beliefs and lifestyle, would be sympathetic to the aims of extremists – to push back against the infidel who would so usurp them – is it not human nature that, when threatened, the obvious response is to remove the threat? Perhaps the way forward is for those of us representing the “threat”, or percieved to be a threat, to stop behaving the way we do.
I was liking your argument until you stepped on how non Muslims dress. Christianity has a horrible history and has equalled Islam in its terror and mass murder but you can’t say that Islam is being undermined because some woman wears a strappy top.
It’s each to their own, if you want to be a pious Muslim or Christian then so be it, but don’t force your way of life on other people.
Any absolutism breeds idiocy.
So true!
I disagree with you. There are specific things in every religion that COULD allow extremism to prosper. It’s just that others have had – and hopefully will continue to have – periods of reformation, which most Muslim clerics are successfully fighting against.
And while I agree that it takes little to be considerate of other cultures when a guest in another country, it also takes little to overlook it and not blow it out of proportion. The Prophet himself (saw) overlooked a lot of personal affronts and Islam was better for it.
It must be a combined effort – more tolerance on Muslims’ part and better manners on non-muslims’ part. But since I cannot control or probably even affect what non-Muslims do in this regard, I simply speak about what I think I can make a difference.
Absolutely, Lisa. Whilst religeon (not God, you understand, but those that claim to have God-given authority on earth) is the ultimate authority in a society, and that authority is usurpped by men seeking power, land and riches, we have a culture ripe for breeding extremism. This was true of middle-ages Europe, when the Pope was the ultimate authority, and I would suggest the same is true now of some senior Muslim clerics…. we’ve all seen these so called hate preachers grabbing the media attention. How can what they say possibly be the “word of God”, but how many are brave enough to challenge it?
You are quite correct to observe that the path to peace are the dual virtues of respect for each others culture, and at the same time tolerance where these cultures differ. And we can make a difference, Lisa. Ordinary, right thinking Muslims and non-Muslims, can do make a difference.
Maybe the brain washing? The whole idea of religion is to put a short circuit in the brain and make it replace logic by faith. When this is done, the end product will stop accepting the other opinion.
Plus Islam specifically promotes killing (shahada) in the name of God and mistreating (kuffar or non Muslims) and on top of it all people like you pretend that they have no idea what is causing all that.
Why not translate Quraan if so many people misinterpret it?
Hey brother
Thanks for expressing your opinion. In fact allow me please to disagree with you in a couple of things.
1- you mentioned that Islam promotes killing non Muslims.
Could you please show us which statement in the Quran says that?
From what I know Quran orders Muslims only and only to fight those who are fighting them. Which means innocent people cannot be touched and when there is no battle no one can be touched.
Also Quran requested us to take care of the non believers in Muslim countries and show him Islam and make sure he goes back to his country in peace.
So where did you see please they Muslims can mistreat the non Muslims?
Islam teaches us to be good to everyone including non Muslims, to our family, neighbors, wife, parents, old people, young people etc…
Sure I can tell you:
1- Islam values the life of a Muslim more than non-Muslims and this is why the blood money of a Muslim is way more. Do you disagree here?
2- Islam mentions in many verses that Shahada or killing in the name of God/Islam/honor is not just OK, but a must and the reward is heaven.
However, Islam when practiced in other cultures than Arabic ones is less violent and all I am saying that the culture itself must have something to do with it. When in doubt, look at the youth. I have never seen bad manners on kids as I have seen in Arab gulf countries. These kids beat people in malls, torture animals and no one dares to stop them.
Please correct me if I was wrong in my 2 previous points and thank you for your input.
Was that sarcasm or are you saying that on seriousness?
Secretly wishing you dead? Their overt actions of homicidal driving is pretty much saying they do wish you dead!
I’m pretty sure they are not trying to kill people on the roads for religious reasons!
The pot calling the kettle black…
The country with the worst history of abuse, killing, invading, droning, and spying on civilians is now giving lessons to Qatar….
Bush and Blair should be on the terrorist watch list as well for starting a war in Iraq under false pretences.
Justifying your own wrong doing by stating that it is also done by others does not make you innocent.
I do not agree that Qatar is doing something wrong here. When the Syrian war started it was civilians against Bashar. It was fine to support them and Qatar was not the only country doing it. It is only later that groups like ISIS, Nusra, Fath emerged and when they did Qatar changed its tactics. There might be issues with their new strategy but to accuse them of supporting terrorism is gross, and coming from the US makes it a joke.
It’s not a “joke”. Right or wrong it’s just the way the US does what they do. If you want to mess with them that’s up to you but don’t be surprised at the consequences.
This is not about teaching lessons but about correct what’s wrong. We can spend the whole day here discussing about the egg and the chicken and who was first but that goes nowhere. It’s a fact that Islam is being seen as something not very far from negative in many countries West and East and that’s mainly because of these groups (not quite small by the way) called ISIS and Al Qaeda and the scary number of supporters they have. If I was a Dr and my profession had a terrible reputation for whatever the reasons due to a limited number of bad practitioners I would use any opportunity to stand and defend my profession against the ones perverting it. I believe this is what many people expect from Muslim community. And in my view this expectation is not being fulfilled. And yes. Bush, Blair and many others should be in prison.
Many muslim community members and leaders denounce extremists’ views but that makes for boring press so the media (and public) isn’t interested and in some cases don’t believe them.
It is always good to see action is being taken against high profile criminals like these. I can’t understand why Al attiyah would rather ignore elephant in the room than try and crack down on those people in his own country. The list if Qataris on that list keeps increasing. It’s a shame another country is doing what is supposed to be Qatar’s job of investigating and pursuing it’s alleged criminals.
Al-Attiyah is the “foreign minister”… the “interior misitry” does a lot of work, they know all the alleged criminals and follow them without broadcasting the names.
The US is NOT doing Qatar’s job.
If that is true and action is being taken by the Qatari gov then why does Al Attiyah keep denying all allegations that these criminals exist in Qatar? It would make Qatar a lot more credible if he says that these people do not represent the Qatar gov views and they are being pursued.
Learn to read, he denied that Qatari government supports these groups not that there are no terrorist supporters in qatar.
As long as they people exist and Qatar isn’t publicly doing anything about them then the world has the right to claim that the Qatari supports them.
Qatari has locked up Qataris before for terrorist activity and supporting terrorist groups around the world, it’s just it is not public knowledge. They like to keep this stuff quiet.
lol Saleem! hehehe now you are into politics?
So tell me Saleem, Santa what is he like?
hahaha Ur something else!
Deleting for attack.
If they know all the alleged criminals why don’t they lock them up and throw away the key? That would be a very simple solution to all of these ‘terrorism allegations’ by the USA.
Can we have a trial first?
Yes, that would be desirable. Funny though, that countries such as this would be more likely to hold a trial for an extremist supporter as opposed to someone who writes a poem about the ruler.
Could be but I am not convinced. There is no transparency.
Having had some experience in working with GCC government entities that track and monitor threats, I have no doubt that Qatar knows a lot more than it says. Transparency in intelligence gathering is not desirable.
People would take him and Qatar more seriously if he tries to be objective and apologetic when it is due. He needs to stop his denials about 2022 bribery and about the Qatari people who fund terrorists and all other matters where Qatar is clearly wrong.
Very few countries are objective and apologetic (if any).
Agree, but very few “honorable” politicians blame their flaws on “racism” and one can’t assume that Qatar has no honorable people.
Didn’t a Qatari minister once say that opinions can differ on just who is a terrorist? It’s an open secret that two Syrian (now naturalised Qatari) were the used by the Qatari government to channel state money to fund the rebels in Syria, and I believe it was the Al-Nusrah Front they were funding.
Why some commentator here if they doesn’t like your comment they will utter “go back to your home country?” The comment is so LAME!!! Respect the comments of other people. Each one of us here are entitle of our own opinion. JUST SAYING!!!!!
A noble sentiment, but we are just kuffars to them, our lives are worth nothing compared to a believer….
It’s hard to argue to a CLOSE MINDED person… I just hope all of them are hard working, intelligent enough which minds are brilliant!!!!! That they don’t need someone’s services and ideas!!!!!
I’d like to get your point, if I could only understand what you are going on about. I guess you are saying close minded but I don’t agree with your point of view. Would you like cake with your hypocrisy?
Believer of what? Islam or the terrorist culture. Now MIMH, how come you are not showing your racist colors today.?
That is libel my friend and you are belittling the word racist. There are people that suffer terrible racism in the world today and you using the term incorrectly as an insult insults their suffering.
Deleting this thread for getting off track.
What.. Why are the comments so highly moderated?
Pursuant to the FM;’s response, I am not really surprised. I think at this point in time many people interpret the work of a diplomat to “sell” (for want of a better word) other countries on their nation. They smooth over a lot of “shyte” — look at John Kerry! He’s a terrible Secretary of State in my opinion because he is more concerned about political gain (via the current administration) than telling the truth or listening to other critical government entities.
Alarming! Yet, we need to be vigilant.