*EPF302 12/26/2001
Text: Powell Names Two Groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations
(Secretary of State calls on India, Pakistan to help curb them) (410)

(begin text)

Secretary of State Colin Powell has added two groups to the U.S. list of foreign terrorist organizations, accusing them of committing "numerous terrorist attacks in India and Pakistan."

In a statement issued December 26, Powell said the two groups, Lashkar e-Tayyiba (LET) and Jaish e-Mohammed (JEM), claim to operate in support of the people of Kashmir.

Listing the groups clears the way for the administration to make it illegal for persons under U.S. jurisdiction to provide them material support, require U.S. financial institutions to block their assets, and deny visas to their representatives.

Powell said that the United States will work with India and Pakistan to shut the groups down.

Following is the text of Powell's statement.

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman

December 26, 2001

STATEMENT BY SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN L. POWELL

DESIGNATION OF FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS

The vicious attacks that took place on September 11 made it clear that the United States must use every tool at its disposal to combat terrorism.

Today I am taking another important step in our campaign to eliminate the scourge of terrorism. I am designating two groups, Lashkar e-Tayyiba (LET) and Jaish e-Mohammed (JEM), as Foreign Terrorist Organizations under U.S. law.

These groups, which claim to be supporting the people of Kashmir, have conducted numerous terrorist attacks in India and Pakistan. As the recent horrific attacks against the Indian parliament and the Srinigar State Legislative Assembly so clearly show, the Lashkar e-Tayyiba, Jaish e-Mohammed, and their ilk seek to assault democracy, undermine peace and stability in South Asia, and destroy relations between India and Pakistan.

By designating these groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and publishing that decision today in the Federal Register, we implement the provisions of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act. This Act makes it illegal for persons in the United States or subject to U.S. jurisdiction to provide material support to these terrorist groups; it requires U.S. financial institutions to block assets held by them; and it enables us to deny visas to representatives of these groups. I made this decision in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury after an exhaustive review of these groups' violent activities.

The United States looks forward to working with the governments of both India and Pakistan to shut these groups down.

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(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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