Aug. 30 (UPI) — The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned a Lebanese bank for connections to Hezbollah on Thursday.
The agency announced the sanctions against Jammal Trust Bank and its subsidiaries for “brazenly enabling” the financial activities of Hezbollah, which the United States has designated as a terrorist organization.
“Corrupt financial institutions like Jammal Trust are a direct threat to the integrity of the Lebanese financial system,” Sigal Mandelker, undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said. “Jammal Trust provides support and services to Hezbollah’s Executive Council and the Martyrs Foundation which funnels money to the families of suicide bombers.”
In a second action Thursday, the Treasury Department also sanctioned four individuals for supporting Hamas.
The agency sanctioned Mohammad Sarur, Kamal Abdelrahman Aref Awad and Fawaz Mahmud Ali Nasser for funneling tens of millions of dollars from Iran through Hezbollah to Hamas for attacks in the Gaza Strip.
“This administration will not falter to hold Hamas and its Iranian leaders accountable for their violence,” Mandelker said. “Treasury will continue to disrupt terrorist networks by targeting those who generate funds to carry out the Iranian regime’s violent agenda.”
