State Department: Palestinian Islamic Jihad deputy secretary general a 'global terrorist'

The U.S. Department of State has designated Palestinian Islamic Jihad Deputy Secretary General Ziyad al-Nakhalah a "specially designated global terrorist."

The designation, authorized under Executive Order 13224, targets terrorists and supporters of terrorists or acts of terrorism. The State Department described the terrorist acts committed by Ziyad in its Thursday announcement.

Ziyad al-Nakhalah is the Deputy Secretary General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a group that was designated by the U.S. State Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on October 8, 1997. PIJ’s openly stated goal is the destruction of Israel. Since its inception, PIJ has carried out numerous attacks, including large-scale suicide bombings against Israeli civilian and military targets. PIJ attacks have also killed Americans abroad. PIJ receives financial assistance and training primarily from Iran.

The Department of State strongly condemned the December 22, 2013 Tel Aviv bus bombing conducted by PIJ as a 'deplorable violent act targeting civilians.'

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Publicly, Ziyad has repeatedly taken credit for attacks against Israel. For example, Ziyad took credit for PIJ’s indiscriminate missile attacks into Israel in 2011, 2009, and 2008. Ziyad has also cultivated strong relations with the Government of Iran, the world’s primary State Sponsor of Terrorism. In 2012, Ziyad emphasized the importance of expanding and improving relations with Hamas, another designated FTO. For example, in October 2012, PIJ announced that it had joined forces with Hamas to carry out attacks against Israel. Shortly thereafter, PIJ and Hamas claimed responsibility for firing at least 50 mortar shells into Israel the day before that announcement.

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The consequences of this designation include a prohibition against U.S. persons engaging in transactions with Ziyad al-Nakhalah, and the freezing of all property and interests of Ziyad al-Nakhalah that are in the United States, or come within the United States or the possession or control of U.S. persons. The Department of State took this action in consultation with the Departments of Justice and Treasury.

[State Department]