U.S. amends al-Qaida in Iraq's terror designation

WASHINGTON, May 14 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of State announced on Wednesday that it has amended the foreign terrorist designation for al-Qaida in Iraq.

The amendment recognizes AQI's alias -- Islamic State of Iraq -- "as its primary name..."

The name change reflects inter-organizational dynamics between al-Qaida senior leadership and ISIL. In early 2014, al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri released a statement that ISIL was no longer considered a part of al-Qaida.

ISIL, the State Department noted, is now recognized by the following aliases: the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), ad-Dawla al-Islamiyya fi al-'Iraq wa-sh-Sham, Daesh, Dawla al Islamiya, and Al-Furqan Establishment for Media Production.

In addition to AQI's name change, the State Department announced it was removing "all aliases associated with al-Nusrah Front," given "an increase in violence between these two groups," and announced it has now designated ANF "as a standalone" foreign terrorist organization.

Foreign terrorist designations are authorized under Executive Order 13224 to target terrorists and supporters of terrorists or acts of terrorism.