Action Targets Key Al-Qa’ida
Facilitator Supporting Terrorist Activities in South
Asia and the Middle East
WASHINGTON – The
U.S. Department of the Treasury today announced the designation of Adel Radi
Saqr al-Wahabi al-Harbi (al-Harbi), a key member of an al-Qa’ida network operating
in Iran and led by Iran-based al-Qa’ida facilitator Muhsin al-Fadhli
(al-Fadhli). Today's action, taken
pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, follows Treasury’s designation in
July 2011 of Ezedin Abdel Aziz Khalil (AKA Yasin al-Suri) and five other
al-Qa’ida members, and underscores that Iran continues to allow al-Qa’ida to
operate a core pipeline that moves al-Qa’ida money and fighters through Iran to
support al-Qa’ida activities in South Asia. This network also sends funding and fighters
to Syria.
“Today’s action, which builds on our action from July 2011, further
exposes al-Qa’ida’s critically important Iran-based funding and facilitation
network,” said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David
S. Cohen. “We will continue targeting this crucial source of al-Qa’ida’s funding
and support, as well as highlight Iran’s ongoing complicity in this network’s operation.”
Today’s designation freezes any assets Al-Harbi holds under
U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with
this individual. E.O. 13224 targets
terrorists, terrorist organizations, individuals and entities owned or
controlled by or acting for or on behalf of designated terrorists or terrorist
organizations, and those providing financial, material, or technological
support or financial or other services to designated terrorists or terrorist
organizations, or for acts of terrorism.
Al-Harbi is an Iran-based al-Qa’ida facilitator who serves
as the deputy to al-Fadhli. Al-Fadhli
took over the Iran-based facilitation network from Yasin al-Suri in late
2011. In his capacity as the deputy to
al-Fadhli in Iran, al-Harbi facilitates the travel of extremists to Afghanistan
or Iraq via Iran on behalf of al-Qa’ida, and is believed to have sought funds
to support al-Qa’ida attacks. Before
joining the Iran-based al-Qa’ida network in early 2011, al-Harbi appeared on
the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Interior's Most Wanted List and was charged with
traveling to Afghanistan to join al-Qa’ida and providing technical support on
the Internet to the terrorist group.
Al-Fadhli is a veteran al-Qa’ida operative who has been
active within the terrorist network for years.
Treasury previously designated al-Fadhli pursuant to E.O. 13224 in
February 2005 for providing financial and material support to the al-Zarqawi
Network and al-Qa’ida. At that time,
al-Fadhli was considered an al-Qa’ida leader in the Gulf and provided support
to Iraq-based fighters for attacks against U.S. and multinational forces. Al-Fadhli was also considered a major
facilitator for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and prior to that was involved in several
terrorist attacks that took place in October 2002 including the attacks on the
French ship MV Limburg and against U.S. Marines on Faylaka Island in
Kuwait.
Al-Fadhli began working with al-Qa’ida’s Iran-based
facilitation network in 2009 and was later arrested by the Iranians. He was subsequently released by the Iranians
in 2011 and went on to assume the leadership of the facilitation network from
Yasin al-Suri later that year.
In addition to providing funding for al-Qa’ida activities in
Afghanistan and Pakistan, this network is working to move fighters and money
through Turkey to support al-Qa’ida-affiliated elements in Syria. Al-Fadhli also is leveraging his extensive
network of Kuwaiti jihadist donors to send money to Syria via Turkey.
Treasury previously took action against this al-Qa’ida
funding and support network in July 2011 when it designated Yasin al-Suri and
five other al-Qa’ida members pursuant to E.O. 13224. This network uses Iran as a critical transit
point and operates under an agreement between al-Qa’ida and the Iranian
government. Under the terms of the
agreement between al-Qa’ida and Iran, al-Qa’ida must refrain from conducting
any operations within Iranian territory and recruiting operatives inside Iran
while keeping Iranian authorities informed of their activities. In return, the Government of Iran gave the
Iran-based al-Qa’ida network freedom of operation and uninhibited ability to
travel for extremists and their families.
Al-Qa’ida members who violate these terms run the risk of being detained
by Iranian authorities. Yasin al-Suri
agreed to the terms of this agreement with Iran with the knowledge of
now-deceased al-Qa’ida leader ‘Atiyah ‘Abd al Rahman.
The Treasury Department’s action today against al-Harbi is
taken in coordination with the State Department’s announcement that it is
offering multi-million dollar rewards for information on al-Harbi and al-Fadhli
under its Rewards for Justice Program. In
particular, the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security has announced
a reward of up to $7 million for information leading to the location of
al-Fadhli and $5 million for information leading to the location of
al-Harbi. Previously, the State
Department announced a $10 million reward for information leading to the
location of Yasin al-Suri. That reward
remains available. The Rewards for
Justice Program administered by the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic
Security has helped target terrorists and prevent terrorism worldwide.
Identifying Information
Individual: Adel Radi Saqr Al-Wahabi Al-Harbi
AKA: 'Adil Radi Saqr al-Wahbi al-Harbi
AKA: Adel Radhi Sager Alharbi
AKA: Muharib
AKA: Abu Ali Muharib
Nationality: Saudi Arabian
POB: Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
DOB: December 1, 1986
National Identity Number: 1059887057
Saudi Passport: J110141; issued April 18, 2010, expiration date February 22, 2015
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