Haqqani Network Officially Declared a Foreign Terror Organization; Chairman Rogers Praises the Designation

Press Release

Chairman Rogers today praised the formal designation of the Haqqani Network as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), calling it "a critical step" that allows the United States to more aggressively undermine the network's support structures.

"After aggressive efforts in Congress to hold this network accountable, I am pleased that the Secretary of State has finally announced her intention to officially designated the Haqqani Network as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. This is a critical step that clears the path for the United States to begin to put a choke hold on the network's finances," Rogers said. "The Haqqani Network actively plots and kills U.S. and allied soldiers and routinely harms innocent Afghan civilian men, women, and children in their path. In addition to actively fighting the Haqqanis on the battlefields, we must now move aggressively to block their flow of money and support and starve the network of resources."

Chairman Rogers has been at the forefront of Congressional efforts to push for a designation of the Haqqani Network as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. On May 11, 2012, Chairman Mike Rogers, Ranking Member C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger and their Senate counterparts, Chairman Dianne Feinstein and Vice Chairman Saxby Chambliss, called on the Obama Administration to designate the Haqqani Network as an FTO.

On June 27th, Chairman Rogers, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon introduced legislation to express the sense of Congress that the Haqqani Network should be designated. Language from the Rogers/Ros-Lehtinen/McKeon bill was included in the bill that passed the House on July 17, 2012.

The Senate passed their Haqqani bill on July 27, 2012, and the President signed the bill into law on August 10, 2012.

The FTO designation permits the United States to freeze the Network's assets, keep those affiliated with the group from coming to the United States, and prosecute those individuals aiding or assisting the Network with the crime of providing material support to terrorism.

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