Bahrain welcomes US decision to list Saraya Al Mukhtar as Iran-backed terrorist group

Agencies | Washington / Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The Department of State has designated the Saraya Al Mukhtar group as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.

The designation is pursuant to Executive Order 13224 for posing a significant risk of committing acts of terrorism that threaten the national security and foreign policy of the United States, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.

Saraya Al Mukhtar is an Iran-backed terrorist organization, reportedly receiving financial and logistic support from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Saraya Al Mukhtar’s self-described intention is paving the way for Iran to exert greater influence in Bahrain. The group has plotted attacks against U.S. personnel in Bahrain and has offered cash rewards for the assassination of Bahraini officials, Pompeo added.

“This designation seeks to deny Saraya Al Mukhtar the resources to commit acts of terrorism. Among other consequences, all of the group’s property and interests in property that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or hereafter come within the possession or control of U.S. persons, are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with it,” Pompeo said.

“This action notifies the U.S. public and the international community that Saraya Al Mukhtar poses a significant risk of committing acts of terrorism. Designations of terrorist organizations expose and isolate them and deny them access to the U.S. financial system. Moreover, designations can assist the law enforcement actions of other U.S. agencies and governments.”

Meanwhile Bahrain has welcomed the decision of the United States of America to designate "Saraya Al Mukhtar" as a global terrorist organization that threatens the security of the Kingdom and world countries.

The designation is a significant positive step taken to confront the malicious actions and intentions of the terrorist organization supported by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, and to combat its destabilizing activities in the region and dry up its sources of funding, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The ministry commended the relentless efforts undertaken by the US in combatting all extremist terrorist organizations, stressing the importance of concreted international efforts and of taking serious action to eradicate terrorism in all its forms.

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Dr. Nayef Falah Mubarak Al-Hajraf welcomed the US decision designating the so-called “Saraya Al-Mukhtar” as a global terrorist organization that threatens the security and stability of the Kingdom of Bahrain, as well as other countries in the world.

In a statement today, the GCC chief said that members of this group had already been convicted of perpetrating terrorist crimes, including the killing of policemen and masterminding assassinations and acts of sabotage.

He reiterated the GCC firm stance against the scourge of terrorism, stressing the importance of drying up its sources of funding.