Treasury Designates al-Qa’ida Financial Network in Turkey

September 16, 2021

WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions against five al-Qa'ida supporters operating in Turkey who provided a range of financial and travel facilitation services to al-Qa'ida. These designations are being taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended. On September 23, 2001, the President signed E.O. 13224, which designated al-Qa'ida under its authorities.

'These targeted sanctions highlight the United States' unwavering commitment to sever financial support to al-Qa'ida,' said Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control Andrea M. Gacki. 'We will continue working with our foreign partners, including Turkey, to expose and disrupt al-Qa'ida's financial support networks.'

MAJDI SALIm

Majdi Salim, a Turkey-based lawyer born in Egypt, is one of the primary facilitators of a range of al-Qa'ida activities in Turkey, including acting as a financial courier within the al-Qa'ida network in Turkey. He is the former Emir of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ), having taken over for current al-Qa'ida leader Ayman Zawahiri. On September 23, 2001, Ayman Zawahiri, then the Deputy Emir of al-Qa'ida under Osama Bin Ladin, was designated pursuant to E.O. 13224.

Majdi Salim is designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, al-Qa'ida.

MUHAMMAD NASR AL-DIN AL-GHAZLANI

Muhammad Nasr al-Din al-Ghazlani, an Egyptian national and veteran al-Qa'ida facilitator, is a Turkey-based financial courier who used cash transfers to support al-Qa'ida. Al-Qa'ida used Turkey-based financial couriers, like Muhammad Ghazlani, to facilitate funds transfers on behalf of al-Qa'ida, including providing money to the families of imprisoned al-Qa'ida members.

Muhammad Nasr al-Din al-Ghazlani is designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, al-Qa'ida.

NURETTIN MUSLIHAN

Nurettin Muslihan, a Turkish national, is a Turkey-based al-Qa'ida financial facilitator who maintained contact with al-Qa'ida senior leadership. Muslihan worked to establish direct communications with al-Qa'ida extremists, including now-deceased al-Qa'ida senior leader Abdullah Muhammad Rajab Abd al-Rahman, also known as Abu Khayr al-Masri, who operated in Syria. The U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Abdullah Muhammad Rajab Abd al-Rahman, pursuant to E.O. 13224, on October 3, 2005.

Nurettin Muslihan is designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, al-Qa'ida.

CEBRAIL GUZEL

Cebrail Guzel, a Turkish national, is a Turkey-based al-Qa'ida facilitator who worked with, and provided material support to, Nurettin Muslihan as part of Muslihan's efforts to support al-Qa'ida. For example, Cebrail Guzel worked with Nurettin Muslihan to facilitate the network's relationship with now-deceased al-Qa'ida senior leader Abdullah Muhammad Rajab Abd al-Rahman in Syria.

Cebrail Guzel is designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, al-Qa'ida.

SONER GURLEYEN

Soner Gurleyen, a Turkey-based Turkish national, is an al-Qa'ida extremist and financial facilitator. Soner Gurleyen provided another al-Qa'ida violent extremist with assistance in preparation for the latter's travel.

Soner Gurleyen is designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, al-Qa'ida.

SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS

As a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of these individuals named above, and of any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by them, individually, or with other blocked persons, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or otherwise exempt, OFAC's regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within the United States (including transactions transiting the United States) that involve any property or interests in property of blocked or designated or otherwise blocked persons.

Furthermore, engaging in certain transactions with the individuals designated today entails risk of secondary sanctions pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended. Pursuant to this authority, OFAC can prohibit or impose strict conditions on the opening or maintaining in the United States of a correspondent account or a payable-through account by a foreign financial institution that either knowingly conducted or facilitated any significant transaction on behalf of a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.

For information concerning the process for seeking removal from any OFAC list, including the Specifically Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, please refer to OFAC's Frequently Asked Question 897 at https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/faqs/897. Additional information regarding sanctions programs administered by OFAC can be found at https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/sanctions-programs-and-country-information.

View identifying information on the individuals designated today.

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