WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 (UPI) -- The U.S. Treasury has designated two Hamas-controlled "charities" in Lebanon as terrorist groups.
The designation Thursday freezes the group's financial assets in U.S. banks and prohibits Americans from providing material or financial support to the two groups, al-Waqfiya and al-Quds.
"The Treasury Department will continue to work to disrupt Hamas' efforts to radicalize vulnerable communities and undermine regional stability," Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen said. "Today's action represents another step in our effort to ensure that charitable fronts are not used to finance terrorism."
Cohen said the groups have been hiding the identity of donors and funneling money to Hamas in Gaza under the guise of charitable donations. Senior Hamas leaders were among the charities' directors.
