The Bureau of Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism (CT) of the United States Department of State continually monitors the activities of groups active around the world to identify targets for the "terrorist" designation. When reviewing potential targets, S/CT looks not only at the actual attacks that a group has carried out, but also at whether the group has engaged in planning and preparations for possible future acts of violence or retains the capability and intent to carry out such acts.[3]
Designation processEdit
Once a target is identified, the Bureau of Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism prepares a detailed "administrative record", which is a compilation of information, typically including both classified and open sources information, demonstrating that the statutory criteria for designation have been satisfied.[4] If the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury, decides to make the designation, the United States Congress is notified of the Secretary's intent to designate the organization and given seven days to review the designation, as the INA requires. Upon the expiration of the seven-day waiting period, notice of the designation is published in the Federal Register, at which point the designation takes effect. An organization designated as an FTO may seek judicial review of the designation in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit not later than 30 days after the designation is published in the Federal Register.
Under the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, the FTO may file a petition for revocation two years after the designation date (or in the case of redesignated FTOs, its most recent redesignation date) or two years after the determination date on its most recent petition for revocation. In order to provide a basis for revocation, the petitioning FTO must provide evidence that the circumstances forming the basis for the designation are sufficiently different as to warrant revocation. If no such review has been conducted during a five-year period with respect to a designation, then the Secretary of State is required to review the designation to determine whether revocation would be appropriate.
The procedural requirements for designating an organization as an FTO also apply to any redesignation of that organization. The Secretary of State may revoke a designation or redesignation at any time upon a finding that the circumstances that were the basis for the designation or redesignation have changed in such a manner as to warrant revocation, or that the national security of the United States warrants a revocation. The same procedural requirements apply to revocations made by the Secretary of State as apply to designations or redesignations. A designation may also be revoked by an Act of Congress, or set aside by a Court order.[3]
Legal criteria for designationEdit
(Reflecting Amendments to Section 219 of the INA in the 2001 Patriot Act)
It must be a foreign organization.
The organization must engage in terrorist activity, as defined in section 212 (a)(3)(B) of the INA (8 U.S.C. § 1182(a) (3)(B)),* or terrorism, as defined in section 140(d)(2) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989 (22 U.S.C. § 2656f(d) (2)),** or retain the capability and intent to engage in terrorist activity or terrorism.
The organization's terrorist activity or terrorism must threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security (national defense, foreign relations, or the economic interests) of the United States.[5]
Legal ramifications of designationEdit
It is unlawful for a person in the United States or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to knowingly provide "material support or resources" to a designated FTO.[2] (The term "material support or resources" is defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2339A(b) as "currency or monetary instruments or financial securities, financial services, lodging, training, expert advice or assistance, safehouses, false documentation or identification, communications equipment, facilities, weapons, lethal substances, explosives, personnel, transportation, and other physical assets, except medicine or religious materials.")
Representatives and members of a designated FTO, if they are aliens, are inadmissible to and, in certain circumstances, removable from the United States (see 8 U.S.C. §§ 1182 (a)(3)(B)(i)(IV)-(V), 1227 (a)(1)(A)).
Any U.S. financial institution that becomes aware that it has possession of or control over funds in which a designated FTO or its agent has an interest must retain possession of or control over the funds and report the funds to the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.[5]
Other effects of designationEdit
The U.S. Department of State lists the following items as additional considered beneficial effects of designation:[6]
Supports efforts to curb terrorism financing and to encourage other nations to do the same.
Stigmatizes and isolates designated terrorist organizations internationally.
Deters donations or contributions to and economic transactions with named organizations.
Heightens public awareness and knowledge of terrorist organizations.
Signals to other governments U.S. concern about named organizations.
Official designation of a group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization also triggers more robust means of combat under the Authorization for Use of Military Force act enacted in 2001, which is still in force today.[7]
Groups designated as FTOsEdit
As of December 1, 2021,[update] the following organizations are designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations:[8]
The following groups have been removed from the Department of State's list as of December 1, 2021,[8] most due to having been disbanded and thus being no longer active.
The 2012 delisting of Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) was supported by numerous US lawmakers, and defense and foreign policy officials, but was criticized by the National Iranian American Council.[13] The Treasury Department investigated allegations that payments to former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, on behalf of his lobbying for the MEK, had violated the legal ban on material support for an FTO.[13]
In November 2013, the State Department listed the Nigerian terrorist organization Boko Haram as an FTO. In 2014, Republican members of Congress criticized the State Department for not designating the group as an FTO earlier.[14][7]
In August 2014 the Christian Science Monitor reported that U.S. military was coordinating with Kurdish forces in Iraq, including elements of the PKK, seemingly in violation of the ban on assistance to a designated FTO.[15]
^Bureau of Counterterrorism (May 14, 2014). "Individuals and Entities Designated by the State Department Under E.O. 13224". state.gov. U.S. State Department. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
^ abZarate, Juan C. (2013). Treasury's War. New York: PublicAffairs. ISBN9781610391153.
^ abOffice of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism (April 10, 2014). "Foreign Terrorist Organizations". state.gov. U.S. State Department. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
^Zarate, Juan C. (2013). Treasury's War. New York: PublicAffairs. ISBN9781610391153.
^ abOffice of the Spokesman (September 1, 2010). "Foreign Terrorist Organization Designation". state.gov. US Department of State. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
^Office of the Spokesman (September 1, 2010). "Foreign Terrorist Organization Designation". state.gov. US Department of State. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
^ abLindsey Boerma (May 9, 2014). "Hillary Clinton's Handling of Boko Haram: Are Critics Justified?". cbsnews.com. CBS News. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
^ ab"Foreign Terrorist Organizations". United States Department of State. from the original on October 7, 2020.
^"US designates Hafiz Saeed's MML as LeT affiliate in FTO list - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. April 3, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
^Office of the Spokesperson (December 11, 2012). "State Dept. on Designation of Al-Nusrah Front as Terrorist Group". state.gov. U.S. State Department. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
^"Designation of Army of Islam". State.gov. May 5, 2011. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
^"Revolutionary Guard Corps: US labels Iran force as terrorists - BBC News". BBC. April 8, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
^ abScott Shane (September 21, 2012). "Iranian Opposition Group Wins Removal from US Terrorist List". The New York Times. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
^Glenn Kessler (May 19, 2014). "Boko Haram: Inside the State Department debate over the 'terrorist' label". Washington Post.
^Dan Murphy (August 15, 2014). "Are the US, France, and UK lining up to support the 'terrorist' PKK in Iraq?". csmonitor.com. Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
External linksEdit
Current official U.S. Department of State list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations
US Department of State's Foreign Terrorist Organizations, released April 8, 2008 Fact Sheet, upon which this article is based, which also contains the legal references.
European Union list of terrorist groups and individuals, 2007
European Union list of terrorist groups and individuals, January 2009
Kurth Cronin, Audrey; Huda Aden, Adam Frost, and Benjamin Jones (2004-02-06) (PDF). Foreign Terrorist Organizations. Congressional Research Service. Retrieved on 2009-03-04.
October 18, 2023
united, states, department, state, list, foreign, terrorist, organizations, this, article, needs, updated, please, help, update, this, article, reflect, recent, events, newly, available, information, february, 2020, foreign, terrorist, organization, designatio. This article needs to be updated Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information February 2020 Foreign Terrorist Organization FTO is a designation for non United States based organizations deemed by the United States Secretary of State in accordance with section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 INA to be involved in what US authorities define as terrorist activities Most of the organizations on the list are Islamist extremist groups nationalist separatist groups or Marxist militant groups The Department of State along with the United States Department of the Treasury also has the authority to designate individuals and entities as subject to counter terrorism sanctions according to Executive Order 13224 The Treasury s Office of Foreign Assets Control maintains a separate list of such individuals and entities 1 2 Contents 1 Identification of candidates 2 Designation process 3 Legal criteria for designation 4 Legal ramifications of designation 5 Other effects of designation 6 Groups designated as FTOs 7 Delisted FTOs 8 Controversies 9 See also 10 References 11 External linksIdentification of candidates EditThe Bureau of Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism CT of the United States Department of State continually monitors the activities of groups active around the world to identify targets for the terrorist designation When reviewing potential targets S CT looks not only at the actual attacks that a group has carried out but also at whether the group has engaged in planning and preparations for possible future acts of violence or retains the capability and intent to carry out such acts 3 Designation process EditOnce a target is identified the Bureau of Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism prepares a detailed administrative record which is a compilation of information typically including both classified and open sources information demonstrating that the statutory criteria for designation have been satisfied 4 If the Secretary of State in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury decides to make the designation the United States Congress is notified of the Secretary s intent to designate the organization and given seven days to review the designation as the INA requires Upon the expiration of the seven day waiting period notice of the designation is published in the Federal Register at which point the designation takes effect An organization designated as an FTO may seek judicial review of the designation in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit not later than 30 days after the designation is published in the Federal Register Under the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act the FTO may file a petition for revocation two years after the designation date or in the case of redesignated FTOs its most recent redesignation date or two years after the determination date on its most recent petition for revocation In order to provide a basis for revocation the petitioning FTO must provide evidence that the circumstances forming the basis for the designation are sufficiently different as to warrant revocation If no such review has been conducted during a five year period with respect to a designation then the Secretary of State is required to review the designation to determine whether revocation would be appropriate The procedural requirements for designating an organization as an FTO also apply to any redesignation of that organization The Secretary of State may revoke a designation or redesignation at any time upon a finding that the circumstances that were the basis for the designation or redesignation have changed in such a manner as to warrant revocation or that the national security of the United States warrants a revocation The same procedural requirements apply to revocations made by the Secretary of State as apply to designations or redesignations A designation may also be revoked by an Act of Congress or set aside by a Court order 3 Legal criteria for designation Edit Reflecting Amendments to Section 219 of the INA in the 2001 Patriot Act It must be a foreign organization The organization must engage in terrorist activity as defined in section 212 a 3 B of the INA 8 U S C 1182 a 3 B or terrorism as defined in section 140 d 2 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989 22 U S C 2656f d 2 or retain the capability and intent to engage in terrorist activity or terrorism The organization s terrorist activity or terrorism must threaten the security of U S nationals or the national security national defense foreign relations or the economic interests of the United States 5 Legal ramifications of designation EditIt is unlawful for a person in the United States or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to knowingly provide material support or resources to a designated FTO 2 The term material support or resources is defined in 18 U S C 2339A b as currency or monetary instruments or financial securities financial services lodging training expert advice or assistance safehouses false documentation or identification communications equipment facilities weapons lethal substances explosives personnel transportation and other physical assets except medicine or religious materials Representatives and members of a designated FTO if they are aliens are inadmissible to and in certain circumstances removable from the United States see 8 U S C 1182 a 3 B i IV V 1227 a 1 A Any U S financial institution that becomes aware that it has possession of or control over funds in which a designated FTO or its agent has an interest must retain possession of or control over the funds and report the funds to the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U S Department of the Treasury 5 Other effects of designation EditThe U S Department of State lists the following items as additional considered beneficial effects of designation 6 Supports efforts to curb terrorism financing and to encourage other nations to do the same Stigmatizes and isolates designated terrorist organizations internationally Deters donations or contributions to and economic transactions with named organizations Heightens public awareness and knowledge of terrorist organizations Signals to other governments U S concern about named organizations Official designation of a group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization also triggers more robust means of combat under the Authorization for Use of Military Force act enacted in 2001 which is still in force today 7 Groups designated as FTOs EditAs of December 1 2021 update the following organizations are designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations 8 Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations Date added Name Region Area of operations NotesOctober 8 1997 Abu Sayyaf Group ASG Asia Philippines 62 FR 52650Hamas Islamic Resistance Movement Middle East Palestinian TerritoriesHarakat ul Mujahidin HUM Asia PakistanHezbollah Middle East LebanonKongra Gel formerly Kurdistan Workers Party KGK Turkey Iraq Iran Syria Formerly PKK KADEK 62 FR 52650 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam LTTE Asia Sri Lanka India 62 FR 52650National Liberation Army ELN South America ColombiaPalestine Liberation Front PLF Middle East Palestinian TerritoriesIslamic Jihad GroupPopular Front for the Liberation of Palestine PFLP PFLP General Command PFLP GC Revolutionary People s Liberation Party Front DHKP C TurkeyShining Path Sendero Luminoso SL South America PeruOctober 8 1999 al Qa ida Worldwide Afghanistan Pakistan Saudi Arabia 64 FR 55112September 25 2000 Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan IMU Asia Uzbekistan AfghanistanMay 16 2001 Real Irish Republican Army RIRA Europe Ireland United Kingdom Associated with 32 County Sovereignty Movement 32CSM December 26 2001 Jaish e Mohammed Army of Mohammed JEM Asia PakistanLashkar e Tayyiba Army of the Righteous LET Later amended to include the Milli Muslim League 9 March 27 2002 Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades Middle East Palestinian TerritoriesAsbat an Ansar Lebanonal Qa ida in the Islamic Maghreb Africa Middle East Algeria Mali Niger formerly GSPC August 9 2002 Communist Party of the Philippines New People s Army CPP NPA Asia PhilippinesOctober 23 2002 Jemaah Islamiyah JI Indonesia Also in Brunei Malaysia Thailand Philippines SingaporeJanuary 30 2003 Lashkar i Jhangvi PakistanMarch 22 2004 Ansar al Islam Middle East IraqJuly 13 2004 Continuity Irish Republican Army CIRA Europe Ireland United KingdomDecember 17 2004 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant formerly Al Qaeda in Iraq aka Tanzim Qa idat al Jihad fi Bilad al Rafidayn QJBR Worldwide Iraq Syria Libya Nigeria Formerly Jama at al Tawhid wa al Jihad JTJ al Zarqawi Network Al Nusra Front is considered an alias of Al Qaeda in Iraq 10 June 17 2005 Islamic Jihad Union IJU Asia UzbekistanMarch 5 2008 Harkat ul Jihad al Islami HUJI B BangladeshMarch 18 2008 Al Shabaab Africa Somalia Yemen MozambiqueMay 18 2009 Revolutionary Struggle Europe GreeceJuly 2 2009 Kata ib Hezbollah Middle East IraqJanuary 19 2010 al Qa ida in the Arabian Peninsula AQAP Saudi ArabiaAugust 6 2010 Harkat ul Jihad al Islami HUJI Asia BangladeshSeptember 1 2010 Tehrik i Taliban TTP PakistanNovember 4 2010 Jaish ul Adl formerly Jundallah IranMay 23 2011 Army of Islam Palestinian 11 Middle East Palestinian TerritoriesSeptember 19 2011 Indian Mujahideen IM India Asia IndiaJamaah Ansharut Tauhid JAT IndonesiaMay 30 2012 Abdullah Azzam Brigades Middle East IraqSeptember 19 2012 Haqqani Network HQN Asia Afghanistan PakistanMarch 22 2013 Ansar Dine AAD Africa MaliNovember 14 2013 Boko Haram NigeriaAnsaruDecember 19 2013 al Mulathamun Brigade AlgeriaJanuary 13 2014 Ansar al Shari a in Benghazi LibyaAnsar al Shari a in DarnahAnsar al Shari a in Tunisia TunisiaApril 10 2014 ISIL Sinai Province formerly Ansar Bayt al Maqdis Africa Middle East EgyptMay 15 2014 Al Nusra Front Middle East SyriaAugust 20 2014 Mujahideen Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem Africa Middle East EgyptSeptember 30 2015 Jaysh Rijal al Tariq al Naqshabandi JRTN Middle East IraqJanuary 14 2016 ISIL Khorasan Asia AfghanistanMay 19 2016 ISIL Libya Africa LibyaJune 30 2016 Al Qa ida in the Indian Subcontinent Asia Bangladesh India PakistanAugust 16 2017 Hizbul Mujahideen KashmirFebruary 28 2018 ISIS Bangladesh BangladeshISIS Philippines PhilippinesISIS West Africa Africa Maghreb and West AfricaMay 23 2018 ISIS Greater Sahara Maghreb and West AfricaJuly 11 2018 al Ashtar Brigades AAB Asia BahrainSeptember 6 2018 Jama at Nasr al Islam wal Muslimin JNIM Africa Maghreb and West AfricaApril 15 2019 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Asia Iran Branch of Iran s military 12 January 3 2020 Asa ib Ahl al Haq IraqMarch 10 2021 ISIS Democratic Republic of the Congo Africa Democratic Republic of the CongoISIS Mozambique MozambiqueDecember 1 2021 Segunda Marquetalia South America ColombiaRevolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia People s Army FARC EP Delisted FTOs EditThe following groups have been removed from the Department of State s list as of December 1 2021 8 most due to having been disbanded and thus being no longer active Delisted Foreign Terrorist Organizations Date added Date removed Name Region Area of operations NotesOctober 8 1997 October 8 1999 DFLP Hawatmeh Faction DFLP Middle East Asia Palestinian Territories 62 FR 52650Khmer Rouge Asia CambodiaManuel Rodriguez Patriotic Front Dissidents FPMR D South America ChileOctober 8 2001 Japanese Red Army JRA Asia JapanTupac Amaru Revolution Movement MRTA South America PeruRevolutionary Nuclei Europe GreeceOctober 15 2010 Armed Islamic Group GIA Maghreb Africa AlgeriaSeptember 28 2012 Mujahedin e Khalq MEK Middle East Asia Iraq IranOctober 11 2005 May 28 2013 Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group MICG Maghreb Africa MoroccoSeptember 10 2001 July 15 2014 United Self Defense Forces of Colombia AUC South America ColombiaOctober 8 1997 September 3 2015 Revolutionary Organization 17 November Europe Greece 62 FR 52650March 27 2002 December 9 2015 Libyan Islamic Fighting Group LIFG Maghreb Africa LibyaOctober 8 1997 June 1 2017 Abu Nidal Organization ANO Middle East Palestinian Territories 62 FR 52650January 11 2021 February 16 2021 Ansarallah Middle East Asia YemenOctober 8 1997 November 30 2021 Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia FARC South America Colombia 62 FR 52650August 20 2014 May 20 2022 Mujahidin Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem MSC Middle East Palestinian TerritoriesOctober 8 1997 Kahane Chai Kach IsraelGama a al Islamiyya Islamic Group IG EgyptBasque Fatherland and Liberty ETA Europe Iberian PeninsulaAum Shinrikyo AUM Asia JapanControversies EditThe 2012 delisting of Mujahedin e Khalq MEK was supported by numerous US lawmakers and defense and foreign policy officials but was criticized by the National Iranian American Council 13 The Treasury Department investigated allegations that payments to former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell on behalf of his lobbying for the MEK had violated the legal ban on material support for an FTO 13 In November 2013 the State Department listed the Nigerian terrorist organization Boko Haram as an FTO In 2014 Republican members of Congress criticized the State Department for not designating the group as an FTO earlier 14 7 In August 2014 the Christian Science Monitor reported that U S military was coordinating with Kurdish forces in Iraq including elements of the PKK seemingly in violation of the ban on assistance to a designated FTO 15 See also EditExecutive Order 13224 List of designated terrorist groups Specially Designated Global Terrorist U K List of Proscribed Groups State Sponsors of Terrorism U S list References Edit Bureau of Counterterrorism May 14 2014 Individuals and Entities Designated by the State Department Under E O 13224 state gov U S State Department Retrieved June 4 2014 a b Zarate Juan C 2013 Treasury s War New York PublicAffairs ISBN 9781610391153 a b Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism April 10 2014 Foreign Terrorist Organizations state gov U S State Department Retrieved April 25 2014 Zarate Juan C 2013 Treasury s War New York PublicAffairs ISBN 9781610391153 a b Office of the Spokesman September 1 2010 Foreign Terrorist Organization Designation state gov US Department of State Retrieved June 3 2014 Office of the Spokesman September 1 2010 Foreign Terrorist Organization Designation state gov US Department of State Retrieved June 3 2014 a b Lindsey Boerma May 9 2014 Hillary Clinton s Handling of Boko Haram Are Critics Justified cbsnews com CBS News Retrieved June 3 2014 a b Foreign Terrorist Organizations United States Department of State Archived from the original on October 7 2020 US designates Hafiz Saeed s MML as LeT affiliate in FTO list The Express Tribune The Express Tribune April 3 2018 Retrieved April 3 2018 Office of the Spokesperson December 11 2012 State Dept on Designation of Al Nusrah Front as Terrorist Group state gov U S State Department Retrieved September 23 2013 Designation of Army of Islam State gov May 5 2011 Retrieved August 17 2013 Revolutionary Guard Corps US labels Iran force as terrorists BBC News BBC April 8 2019 Retrieved April 8 2019 a b Scott Shane September 21 2012 Iranian Opposition Group Wins Removal from US Terrorist List The New York Times Retrieved June 3 2014 Glenn Kessler May 19 2014 Boko Haram Inside the State Department debate over the terrorist label Washington Post Dan Murphy August 15 2014 Are the US France and UK lining up to support the terrorist PKK in Iraq csmonitor com Christian Science Monitor Retrieved October 15 2014 External links EditCurrent official U S Department of State list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations Foreign Terrorist Organization FTO Congressional Research Service US Department of State s Foreign Terrorist Organizations released April 8 2008 Fact Sheet upon which this article is based which also contains the legal references US Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control What you need to know about U S Sanctions European Union list of terrorist groups and individuals 2007 European Union list of terrorist groups and individuals January 2009 Kurth Cronin Audrey Huda Aden Adam Frost and Benjamin Jones 2004 02 06 PDF Foreign Terrorist Organizations Congressional Research Service Retrieved on 2009 03 04 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title United States Department of State list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations amp oldid 1179402882, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
