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- US Official Urges Lebanon to Take Measures Against Hamas Funding Flow
Jesse Baker, deputy assistant secretary of the US Treasury for Asia and the Middle East in the Office of Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes, pressed the Lebanese authorities to take “proactive measures” to prevent funds from being channeled to Hamas through Lebanon, according to a US Treasury official, who spoke with AP on condition of anonymity.
According to the US official, Baker, who was in Beirut on Thursday and Friday and met with Lebanese politicians and officials from the financial sector, shared “specific concerns” about “the movement of Hamas funds through Lebanon, Hezbollah funds from Iran into Lebanon and then out into other regional areas.”
The Treasury official added that “for Lebanon, showing compliance with global anti-money-laundering and counterterrorism financing standards is key to attracting investment from the U.S. and the rest of the world and to pulling the country out of its protracted crisis,” according to AP.
Baker also urged Lebanon to crack down on the illicit financial service companies.
According to the US official, Baker, who was in Beirut on Thursday and Friday and met with Lebanese politicians and officials from the financial sector, shared “specific concerns” about “the movement of Hamas funds through Lebanon, Hezbollah funds from Iran into Lebanon and then out into other regional areas.”
The Treasury official added that “for Lebanon, showing compliance with global anti-money-laundering and counterterrorism financing standards is key to attracting investment from the U.S. and the rest of the world and to pulling the country out of its protracted crisis,” according to AP.
Baker also urged Lebanon to crack down on the illicit financial service companies.
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