Statements
Joint Statement by Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt Relating to New Terror Designations
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Arab Republic of Egypt declare that in their firm and solid commitment to fight terrorism, cut off sources of funding, prosecute those who are involved in it, combat extremist ideologies and hate speech incubators; and in continuous assessment, the four countries have announced the designation of 9 entities and 9 individuals on the lists of terrorist groups:
Entities:
- AL- Balagh Charitable Foundation - Yemen
- Al-Ihsan Charitable Society - Yemen
- Rahma Charitable Organization - Yemen
- Benghazi Revolutionaries Shura Council- Libya
- Al-Saraya Media Center- Libya
- Boshra News Agency - Libya
- Rafallah Sahati Brigade - Libya
- Nabaa TV - Libya
- Tanasuh Foundation for Dawa, Culture and Media – Libya
Individuals:
- Khalid Saeed al-Bounein (Qatari Citizen)
- Shaqer Jummah al-Shahwani (Qatari Citizen)
- Saleh bin Ahmed al-Ghanim (Qatari Citizen)
- Hamid Hamad Hamid al-Ali (Kuwaiti Citizen)
- Abdullah Mohammed al-Yazidi (Yemeni Citizen)
- Ahmed Ali Ahmed Baraoud (Yemeni Citizen)
- Mohammed Bakr al-Dabaa (Yemeni Citizen)
- Al-Saadi Abdullah Ibrahim Bukhazem (Libyan Citizen)
- Ahmed Abd al-Jaleel al-Hasnawi (Libyan Citizen)
The terrorist activities of the aforementioned entities and individuals have direct and indirect ties with the Qatari authorities. The three Qatari individuals on the list, along with a Kuwaiti individual, have engaged in fund-raising campaigns to support Al-Nusra Front and other terrorist militias in Syria. The three Yemeni individuals and the three organizations in Yemen, have provided support to Al- Qaeda, and have conducted actions on its behalf, mainly by using significant funding from Qatari charities, which are designated by the four states as terrorist entities. The two Libyan individuals and the six terrorist entities, affiliated with terrorist groups in Libya, have received substantial financial support from the Qatari authorities and played an active role in spreading chaos and devastation in Libya, despite serious international concern over the destructive impact of such practices.
While noting that the Qatari authorities had previously signed a memorandum of understanding with the United States to stop terror financing and then announced that it was amending its terror combating laws, the four states consider this step, even if it is a submission to the tough demands to combat terrorism and one of many awaited steps to achieve the Qatari authorities' return to the right track, not enough.
Qatar's 2004 law neither led to combating extremism, terrorism, hate speech, nor did it end its financing and harboring of extremist individuals and groups. To the contrary, these individuals and groups have expanded their presence and activity in and through Doha. The Qatari authorities have a long history in breaking all signed and binding agreements and legal obligations, the latest of which was the 2013 Riyadh Agreement and the 2014 Supplemental Agreement. Moreover, it continued harboring terrorists, financing attacks and promoting hate speech and extremism.
The next long awaited practical step is taking an urgent action by the Qatari authorities to make legal and practical actions to prosecute terrorist and extremist individuals and entities, especially those on this current list and the previous one, which was announced on the 8th of June 2017 so as to confirm the credibility of its seriousness in renouncing terrorism and extremism, and its engagement in the international community fighting terrorism. To that end, the four states, along with their international partners, will monitor the Qatari authorities' commitment in not harboring terrorist, supporting and financing terrorism, ending promoting of extremist and hate speech, and financing of extremists inside and outside Qatar.
The four countries also affirm the continuation of their current measures, and possible future measures that might be taken, until the Qatari authorities are committed to fulfilling all the just demands, which ensure countering terrorism and maintaining security and stability in the region.