December 24, 2009
OFAC's Christmas Present to Iraq: "Sufi" Group Designated Terrorists
The Jaish Rijal al-Tariq al-Naqshabandi -- usually called the Naqushabandi Sufi Army -- has been designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. Treasury. As of this morning, their U.S. based website was also offline.
Good news indeed. These self-proclaimed "Sufi" Muslims killed many Americans and many more Iraqis. It's not clear how religious they were, though. One video they released showed children at a Sufi mosque being indoctrinated by them against the Great Satan, but all other indications are that they are mainly former Baathists and were acting on behalf of Syria in Iraq. Their training bases were also said to be in Syria.
The FTO designation means that any U.S. based website offering any services to the group are now breaking the law.
TREASURY DESIGNATES INSURGENT GROUP FOR
POSING THREAT TO STABILITY IN IRAQ
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury today designated the Iraq-based insurgent group Jaysh Rijal al-Tariq al-Naqshabandi (JRTN) for threatening the peace and stabilization efforts in Iraq. JRTN has committed, directed, supported, or posed a significant risk of committing acts of violence against Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces and is being designated today pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13438, which targets insurgent and militia groups and their supporters. Today’s designation freezes any assets that JRTN may have under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits U.S. persons from conducting financial or commercial transactions with the entity. The U.S. Government has no information indicating any tie between JRTN and the Naqshabandi Sufi order of Islam.
“Today’s designation is an important step in protecting Coalition troops, Iraqi Security Forces, and innocent Iraqis from insurgent groups like JRTN that use violence to undermine Iraq’s progress toward a more democratic and prosperous future,” said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Stuart Levey.
JRTN has conducted attacks against Coalition Forces in Iraq since April 2009, including the August RKG-3 (armor-penetrating grenade) attack against a Coalition Forces convoy in Hawijah, Iraq. Subsequently, a JRTN cell operating in Kirkuk, Iraq, fired rockets at the Kirkuk Regional Air Base in two separate attacks. As of mid-2009, JRTN planned to conduct attacks against Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces and intended to overthrow the Government of Iraq and reinstate Ba’ath Party rule. In mid-July, JRTN members were responsible for an improvised explosive device (IED) attack on Coalition Forces near an Iraqi police station in Salah ad Din Governorate, Iraq. Later that month, JRTN detonated an IED targeting Coalition Forces in Kirkuk and in August, conducted an indirect fire attack on Joint Security Station McHenry in Kirkuk.
In December 2008, a JRTN member operating in Kirkuk purchased three Katyusha rockets and an undetermined number of magnetic improvised explosive devices that were intended to be used in attacks against Kirkuk Regional Air Base, Iraqi police or Government of Iraq officials. JRTN’s Abu Ghurayb Brigade also targeted Coalition Forces stationed at or around Baghdad International Airport.
Web postings made by JRTN further demonstrate that the group conducted attacks against Coalition Forces. In a statement on the al-Mindar Network’s website in May 2009, JRTN claimed to have conducted three separate attacks against Coalition Forces, including a May attack that destroyed a U.S. Humvee in Anbar Province, Iraq; an April 2009 sniper attack against a U.S. soldier in al-Ta’mim Province, Iraq; and the destruction of a U.S. vehicle in Anbar Province in April. In a separate instance, in August, JRTN posted a video of a military vehicle being hit by powerful explosion to the JRTN website, www.alnakshabandia-army.com.
