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Clinton's Letter to Congress on Freezing of bin Ladin Assets
http://www.ict.org.il ^ | August 22, 1998 | Clinton

Posted on 06/18/2003 6:17:09 PM PDT by ATOMIC_PUNK

August 22, 1998

Clinton's Letter to Congress on Freezing of bin Ladin Assets

Text of letter from President Clinton to the leaders of Congress explaining why he ordered the freezing of all assets controlled by or affiliated with terrorist chieftain Usama bin Ladin.

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts)

Dear Mr. Speaker:

On January 23, 1995, in light of the threat posed by grave acts of violence committed by foreign terrorists that disrupt the Middle East peace process, using my authority under, inter alia, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), I declared a national emergency and issued Executive Order 12947. Because such terrorist activities continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States, I have renewed the national emergency declared in Executive Order 12947 annually, most recently on January 21, 1998. Pursuant to section 204(b) of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1703(b)) and section 201 of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1631), I hereby report to the Congress that I have exercised my statutory authority to issue an Executive Order that amends Executive Order 12947 in order more effectively to respond to the worldwide threat posed by foreign terrorists.

The amendment to the Annex of Executive Order 12947 adds Usama bin Muhammad bin Awad bin Ladin (a.k.a. Usama bin Ladin), Islamic Army, Abu Hafs al-Masri, and Rifa'i Ahmad Taha Musa to the list of terrorists that are subject to the prohibitions contained in the Executive Order. These prohibitions include the blocking of all property and interests in the property of the terrorists listed in the Annex, the prohibition of any transaction or dealing by United States persons or within the United States in property or interests in property of the persons designated, and the prohibition of any transaction by any United States persons or within the United States that evades or avoids, or has the purpose of evading or avoiding, any of the prohibitions set forth in the Executive Order.

Usama bin Ladin and his organizations and associates have repeatedly called upon their supporters to perform acts of violence. Bin Ladin has declared that killing Americans and their allies "is an individual duty for every Muslim ... in order to liberate the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Holy Mosque." These threats are clearly intended to violently disrupt the Middle East peace process.

This Executive Order does not limit or otherwise affect the other provisions of Executive Order 12947.

I have authorized these actions in view of the danger posed to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States by the activities of Usama bin Muhammad bin Awad bin Ladin (a.k.a. Usama bin Ladin), Islamic Army, Abu Hafs al-Masri, and Rifa'i Ahmad Taha Musa that disrupt the Middle East peace process. I am enclosing a copy of the Executive Order that I have issued exercising my emergency authorities.

Sincerely, WILLIAM J. CLINTON


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Government; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: assets; obl; x42

Executive Order 12947

PROHIBITING TRANSACTIONS WITH TERRORISTS WHO THREATEN TO DISRUPT THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, find that grave acts of violence committed by foreign terrorists that disrupt the Middle East peace process constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States, and hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat. I hereby order:

Section 1. Except to the extent provided in section 203(b)(3) and (4) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1702(b)(3) and (4)) and in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract entered into or any license or permit granted prior to the effective date: (a) all property and interests in property of: (i) the persons listed in the Annex to this order; (ii) foreign persons designated by the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Attorney General, because they are found: (A) to have committed, or to pose a significant risk of committing, acts of violence that have the purpose or effect of disrupting the Middle East peace process, or (B) to assist in, sponsor, or provide financial, material, or technological support for, or services in support of, such acts of violence; and (iii) persons determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in coordination with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General, to be owned or controlled by, or to act for or on behalf of, any of the foregoing persons, that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that hereafter come within the possession or control of United States persons, are blocked; (b) any transaction or dealing by United States persons or within the United States in property or interests in property of the persons designated in or pursuant to this order is prohibited, including the making or receiving of any contribution of funds, goods, or services to or for the benefit of such persons; (c) any transaction by any United States person or within the United States that evades or avoids, or has the purpose of evading or avoiding, or attempts to violate, any of the prohibitions set forth in this order, is prohibited.

Sec. 2. For the purposes of this order: (a) the term "person" means an individual or entity; (b) the term "entity" means a partnership, association, corporation, or other organization, group, or subgroup; (c) the term "United States person" means any United States citizen, permanent resident alien, entity organized under the laws of the United States (including foreign branches), or any person in the United States; and (d) the term "foreign person" means any citizen or national of a foreign state (including any such individual who is also a citizen or national of the United States) or any entity not organized solely under the laws of the United States or existing solely in the United States, but does not include a foreign state.

Sec. 3. I hereby determine that the making of donations of the type specified in section 203(b)(2)(A) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1702(b)(2)(A)) by United States persons to persons designated in or pursuant to this order would seriously impair my ability to deal with the national emergency declared in this order, and hereby prohibit such donations as provided by section 1 of this order.

Sec. 4. (a) The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State and, as appropriate, the Attorney General, is hereby authorized to take such actions, including the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to me by IEEPA as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this order. The Secretary of the Treasury may redelegate any of these functions to other officers and agencies of the United States Government. All agencies of the United States Government are hereby directed to take all appropriate measures within their authority to carry out the provisions of this order. (b) Any investigation emanating from a possible violation of this order, or of any license, order, or regulation issued pursuant to this order, shall first be coordinated with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and any matter involving evidence of a criminal violation shall be referred to the FBI for further investigation. The FBI shall timely notify the Department of the Treasury of any action it takes on such referrals.

Sec. 5. Nothing contained in this order shall create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable by any party against the United States, its agencies or instrumentalities, its officers or employees, or any other person.

Sec. 6. (a) This order is effective at 12:01 a.m., eastern standard time on January 24, 1995. (b) This order shall be transmitted to the Congress and published in the Federal Register.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON
THE WHITE HOUSE,
January 23, 1995.

ANNEX TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS WHICH THREATEN TO DISRUPT THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS Abu Nidal Organization (ANO) Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) Hizballah Islamic Gama'at (IG) Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) Jihad Kach Kahane Chai Palestinian Islamic Jihad-Shiqaqi faction (PIJ) Palestine Liberation Front-Abu Abbas faction (PLF-Abu Abbas) Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC)

Was this ever actually enacted if so why didnt it work?

Should'nt it have been written to cover the U.S.A. as well ?

1 posted on 06/18/2003 6:17:10 PM PDT by ATOMIC_PUNK
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To: ATOMIC_PUNK
Bump for a good question
2 posted on 06/18/2003 7:46:01 PM PDT by m1911
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To: ATOMIC_PUNK
Is there anything in this missive (dates, facts) that adds to the lies already uncovered in Hillarys book...
3 posted on 06/18/2003 7:51:08 PM PDT by tubebender (FReepin Awesome...)
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To: ATOMIC_PUNK
"Palestine Liberation Front-Abu Abbas faction (PLF-Abu Abbas)"

This is the man that Israel is forced to deal with relative to the road map? Good grief! Further proves that anyone connected to araRAT needs to be dispatched to Hades ASAP.
4 posted on 06/18/2003 7:53:18 PM PDT by lilylangtree
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To: lilylangtree
I believe you're thinking of Abu Mazen
5 posted on 06/18/2003 7:58:32 PM PDT by m1911
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To: m1911
He's also known by another name besides Abu Mazen. Is that other name Abu Abbas?
6 posted on 06/18/2003 8:03:39 PM PDT by lilylangtree
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To: lilylangtree
Abu Abbas is the terrorist they caught a little while ago who did the Achille Lauro hijacking. He's still in custody somewhere, so I don't think it's the same guy.
7 posted on 06/18/2003 8:16:27 PM PDT by m1911
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To: m1911
Thanks for clearing that up for me. I'll run across the other name Abu Mazen is known as some other time.
8 posted on 06/18/2003 8:32:09 PM PDT by lilylangtree
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To: m1911
Didn't Abbas commit suicide in Iraq just prior to the war by shooting himself 8-10 times. His stomach is still roasting.
9 posted on 06/18/2003 10:00:03 PM PDT by Atchafalaya
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To: Atchafalaya
That was Abu Nidal.
10 posted on 06/19/2003 5:28:06 AM PDT by m1911
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To: lilylangtree
Abu Mazen's other name is Mahmoud Abbas.
11 posted on 06/19/2003 11:00:35 AM PDT by lilylangtree
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