U.S. designates AQAP as terror group

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula was officially designated as a foreign terrorist organization by U.S. officials Tuesday.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also formally designated AQAP's two top leaders, Nasir al-Wahishi and Said al-Shihri, as terrorists after consulting with the U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, the State Department said in a release.

Under the designations, the United States prohibits providing material support and arms to AQAP and imposes immigration restrictions meant to help stem the flow of money to the group, which is based in Yemen and has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist acts against Saudi Arabian, South Korean, Yemeni and U.S. targets since its inception in January 2009.

State Department officials said AQAP is responsible for a March suicide bombing against South Korean tourists in Yemen, an August attempt to assassinate Saudi Prince Muhammad bin Nayif and the failed Christmas Day bomb attack on a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit.