The U.S. Department of the Treasury targeted Hizballah’s financial network today by designating Hizballah fundraisers Ali Tajideen and Husayn Tajideen for providing support to Hizballah. Today’s designees are the brothers and business partners of Kassim Tajideen, an important financial contributor to Hizballah, who was designated by Treasury as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in May 2009 pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224.
Today’s action also targeted a network of businesses that are owned or controlled by the Tajideen brothers operating in The Gambia, Lebanon, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, and the British Virgin Islands. Also designated today for providing support to Hizballah was Bilal Mohsen Wehbe, a Hizballah member who has served, at the request of Hizballah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, as Hizballah’s chief representative in South America. Today’s actions were taken pursuant to E.O.13224, which targets for sanctions terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism, isolating them from the U.S. financial and commercial systems.
Hizballah is among the most dangerous terrorist groups in the world. The Annex to Executive Order 12947 of January 23, 1995 listed Hizballah as a Specially Designated Terrorist (SDT). The Department of State designated Hizballah as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) in 1997. Additionally, on October 31, 2001, Hizballah was designated as a SDGT under E.O. 13224. “Today’s designation targets two of Hizballah’s top financiers in Africa. Ali and Husayn Tajideen’s multinational network generates millions of dollars in funding and secures strategic geographical strongholds for Hizballah,” said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Stuart Levey.
Ali Tajideen is a former Hizballah commander in Hanouay, Tyre, Lebanon, and has provided cash to Hizballah, in tranches as large as $1 million. Ali Tajideen is a major player in Jihad Al Bina, a Lebanon-based construction company formed and operated by Hizballah, which was designated by the Treasury Department in February 2007 pursuant to E.O. 13224. Husayn Tajideen is a primary Hizballah fundraiser and prominent Hizballah supporter in The Gambia.
The following businesses in Ali Tajideen, Husayn Tajideen and Kassim Tajideen’s network were designated by Treasury today:
•Tajco: Tajco is a multipurpose, multinational business venture involved in international trade as well as real estate and presided over by Ali, Husayn and Kassim Tajideen. As of February 2007, Kassim Tajideen owned Tajco and used proceeds from this business to provide millions of dollars in financial support to Hizballah. Husayn Tajideen, co-owner of Tajco Ltd in The Gambia, serves as the company’s managing director. Ali Tajideen and Kassim Tajideen were business partners and co-owners of Tajco Sarl, operating as Tajco Company LLC in Tyre, Lebanon, with Ali Tajideen serving as the managing partner.
Since at least December 2007, Ali Tajideen used Tajco Sarl, operating as Tajco Company LLC, as the primary entity to purchase and develop properties in Lebanon on behalf of Hizballah. Under the name of Tajco Company LLC, Ali Tajideen developed the properties, established mortgage loans and acquired mortgage-life insurance to cover the mortgage borrowers. Since at least March 2006, Husayn Tajideen owned 50 percent of Tajco Ltd, in Banjul, The Gambia and served as the managing director of the company.
•Kairaba Supermarket: Kairaba Supermarket is a subsidiary business of Tajco Ltd, with both companies naming Husayn Tajideen as the same point of contact and manager and using the same primary business address.
•Congo Futur: As of mid-2007, the Tajideen brothers were running cover companies in the food and diamond trades for Hizballah. Since then, Kassim Tajideen owned Congo Futur, which operates in the food and diamond trades.
•Ovlas Trading S.A.: Kassim Tajideen owns Ovlas Trading which operates in the food manufacturing business.
•Golfrate Holdings (Angola) Lda: Owned by Kassim Tajideen, Golfrate is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ovlas Trading, with part of its main operations located in Angola.
•Afri Belg Commercio E Industria Lda: Afri Belg Commercio E Industria Lda, is a subsidiary of Ovlas Trading, and is presided over by Kassim Tajideen.
•Grupo Arosfran Empreendimentos E Participacoes Sarl (Grupo Arosfran): Kassim Tajideen founded Grupo Arosfran in Luanda, Angola, in November 1991. He has been the primary decision maker and leader of Grupo Arosfran and a member of the Board of Directors. Grupo Arosfran is listed as either a branch or a subsidiary of Ovlas Trading on multiple international business websites.
As Hizballah’s chief representative in South America, Bilal Mohsen Wehbe has relayed information and direction between Hizballah leaders in Lebanon and Hizballah elements in South America. He has also overseen Hizballah’s counterintelligence activity in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.
Wehbe has been involved in transferring funds collected in Brazil to Hizballah in Lebanon. Following Hizballah’s conflict with Israel in 2006, Wehbe and Ali Muhammad Kazan, identified by Treasury as a SDGT in December 2006, raised more than $500,000 for Hizballah from Lebanese businessmen in the TBA. Wehbe also has worked for the office of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose regime provides the majority of Hizballah’s budget
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