The Iraqi government, based on the recommendations of the International Sanctions Committee, has issued an asset freeze for 93 individuals and entities around the world accused of supporting terrorism.

The four freeze resolutions were issued on February 13th by the Iraqi Committee for Freezing Terrorist Funds, chaired by the Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq and whose members come from 10 ministries, government agencies and security services.

According to the resolutions, published by the office of Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism, 77 individuals are affected by the sanctions.

They hail from several countries, including Mali, Nigeria, Tunisia, Egypt, the Philippines, Yemen and Afghanistan.

They also include three Iraqis: Muthanna Harith al-Dari, Abdul Rahman Mohammed al-Qadouli, and Maysar Ali Mousa Abdullah al-Jubury.

The sanctions lists also include 16 organisations that sponsor and support terrorism, including Ansar al-Sharia, Ansar al-Muslimin in Sudan, al-Murabitoun, Ahl al-Sunna for Daawa and Jihad (Boko Haram), Benevolence International Foundation, Global Relief Foundation, and Wafa Humanitarian Organisation.

Iraq committed to countering terrorism

The freezing resolutions "confirm Iraq's commitment to the Security Council sanctions committee's recommendations and to the charters of the UN and all international bodies concerned with fighting terrorist groups' financing sources", Central Bank of Iraq spokesman Aysar Jabbar told Diyaruna.

"The Central Bank, through the fund freezing committee, plays a key role in freezing the financial assets and economic resources of all individuals, institutions and entities included on terrorism lists and having had international sanctions issued against them," he said.

Any list that is sent to the office of Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism will have its members "prohibited from entering into the Iraqi financial system", he said.

Banking institutions are notified to restrict their bank accounts, freeze their assets and track any financial and commercial activities by them, Jabbar added.

"The bank continuously and in full transparency announces which entities are included on terrorism lists and the resolutions issued against them under the provisions of the Iraqi Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Law No. 39 of 2015 and the Freezing Terrorist Funds Law No. 5 of 2016," he said.

The Central Bank's contributions to the fight against supporters of terrorism has "helped reinforce national efforts to provide a safe and stable environment for the Iraqi people", Jabbar said.

"Our operations, on both the legal and procedural levels, have greatly weakened the terrorists' wealth and they can no longer finance their heinous terrorist acts against innocent people," he said.