[iwar] al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade designated by State Dept

From: televr (yangyun@metacrawler.com)
Date: 2002-03-22 08:48:57
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U.S. Lists Bomber's Group As Terrorist, Freezes Assets

By Alan Sipress
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 22, 2002; Page A17

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell has labeled the Palestinian al-Aqsa
Martyrs Brigades a terrorist group and ordered its assets frozen,
marking the first time the Bush administration has taken such action
against an organization linked to PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat's party.

Powell decided three days ago to begin the legal process of
designating the group as a foreign terrorist organization. The State
Department, taking the unusual step of publicizing the move before it
became official, announced the decision yesterday, hours after the
brigades claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in Jerusalem
that killed three bystanders and injured about 60 others. Congress was
notified Wednesday.

Administration officials have been weighing whether to add the al-Aqsa
Martyrs Brigades to the State Department's terrorist list, a
designation that makes it illegal under U.S. law to support the group
and requires banks to freeze its assets. Brigades members can also be
denied U.S. visas.

The group is a relatively new offshoot of Arafat's Fatah party named
for Palestinians killed during the 18-month uprising that began with
clashes outside the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. Unlike some other
militant Palestinian groups, such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the
al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades constitute a secular, nationalist movement
rather than an Islamic one. Though officially loyal to Arafat, the
group's leaders have displayed growing independence from his control
and have increasingly clashed with several of his senior advisers.

"It's unclear how far [Arafat] has fostered or approved the group's
actions. It's clear he's not taking action to stop it," a State
Department official said.

The latest bombing by the brigades dealt a serious blow to efforts by
President Bush's special Middle East envoy, Anthony C. Zinni, to
broker a truce between Israelis and Palestinians. Israel canceled
cease-fire talks with Palestinian security officials scheduled for
last night.

Powell called Arafat from Bush's plane as it flew to El Paso yesterday
and demanded that the Palestinian leader make a public statement
condemning the violence.

"The secretary called upon Chairman Arafat to condemn today's acts
publicly and personally in the strongest manner in English and in
Arabic," deputy State Department spokesman Philip Reeker said. "The
secretary told Chairman Arafat he must punish the leaders of
organizations responsible for recent attacks, making sure those
responsible are brought to justice."

The attack also decreased the likelihood that Vice President Cheney,
who returned Wednesday from a tour of the Middle East, would fly back
to the region next week for a meeting with Arafat.

In Jerusalem earlier this week, Cheney snubbed Arafat by refusing to
see him but offered to meet the Palestinian leader elsewhere in the
region as early as Monday if he met several conditions for curtailing
the current violence.

Cheney briefed Bush over breakfast yesterday about the results of the
11-country Middle East trip. The president endorsed the requirements
set for a Cheney-Arafat meeting, which include a public declaration by
the Palestinian leader that violence must end and a clear directive to
his security forces that they must enforce a cease-fire.

"We've set some strong conditions, and we expect Mr. Arafat to meet
those conditions," Bush told reporters. "I, frankly, have been
disappointed in his performance. I'm hopeful, however, that he listens
to what the vice president told him and said that in order for us to
have influence in terms of achieving any kind of peaceful resolution .
. . Mr. Arafat must do everything in his power to stop the violence."

His comments came shortly before the Jerusalem bombing and reflected
guarded optimism in the administration that evaporated hours later.

Bush also praised Cheney's effort to build support among U.S. allies
in the Middle East for stronger action to counter the spread of
weapons of mass destruction, including a new confrontation with the
government of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

"It's very important for these leaders to understand the nature of
this administration, so there's no doubt in their mind that when we
speak, we mean what we say, that we're not posturing, that . . . we
don't take a bunch of polls and focus groups to tell us what . . . we
ought to do in the world," Bush said. "I mean, when we say we want to
defend freedom, we mean it. And the vice president did a fine job of
delivering that message."

Researcher Robert E. Thomason contributed to this report.



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