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| [PHOTO: Matt Lemmon/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0] |
Washington: United States has designated Abdallah al-Ashqar as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.
The consequences of this designation include a prohibition against US persons engaging in transactions with al-Ashqar, and the freezing of all his property and interests that are in the United States, or come within the United States or the possession or control of US persons.
Abdallah al-Ashqar is a Palestinian national reported to be a leader of the Mujahidin Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem (MSC), a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity under E.O. 13224, and serves on their military committee. Al-Ashqar also serves as a foreign relations official for the group. In addition to his leadership activity, al-Ashqar has sought missiles and other materials with which to attack Israel.
An umbrella group composed of several terrorist sub-groups based in Gaza, MSC has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks on Israel since the group’s founding in 2012. For example, in August 2013, MSC claimed responsibility for a rocket attack targeting the southern Israeli city of Eilat. Previous attacks have also included improvised explosive devices, claiming civilian lives.
An umbrella group composed of several terrorist sub-groups based in Gaza, MSC has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks on Israel since the group’s founding in 2012. For example, in August 2013, MSC claimed responsibility for a rocket attack targeting the southern Israeli city of Eilat. Previous attacks have also included improvised explosive devices, claiming civilian lives.