Four AQIM Leaders added to the OFAC List

SALAH GASMI
AKAs:Salah Abu MuhamadSalah Abu MohamedBounouadher
DOB:l3 April l97lPOB:Zeribet El Oued, Biskra, Algeria

• Gasmi is the head of AQIM's information committee and is responsible for developing statements, circulating claims of responsibility for terrorist activities, and creating videos for AQIM.
• As AQIM's representative to the media, Gasmi issued AQIM's claim of responsibility for its kidnapping of the Austrian hostages. Gasmi is one of the principal figures negotiating with the Austrian government for the release of the hostages.
• He represents AQIM leader Abdelmalek Droukdel's interests in the negotiations. Droukdel was added to the U.N. list on August 27, 2007 and was named an SDGT by the Treasury Department on December 4, 2007.
• Gasmi also directs AQIM's internet communications with al Qaida senior leadership.
  

YAHIA DJOUADI

AKAs:Yahia Abu AmarAbu AlaAbou Alam

DOB:1 January 1967POB:M'Hamid, Sidi Bel Abbas, Algeria

• Djouadi is based in northern Mali and serves as the leader of AQIM in Africa's Sahara-Sahel region (also known as the AQIM South Zone).
• He is responsible for managing AQIM members in the South Zone and was actively recruiting Mauritanians as of early 2008.
• Djouadi provided financial and operational support to a Moroccan AQIM-affiliated extremist who planned to establish an AQIM support base in North Africa.
• Djouadi headed the AQIM military committee prior to his appointment as AQIM South Zone Emir.

AHMED DEGHDEGH

AKAs:Abd Al IllahAbu Abdallah
DOB:17 January 1967POB:Anser, Jijel, Algeria

Deghdegh is AQIM's finance chief.

• Deghdegh has relayed AQIM messages in ongoing hostage negotiations; as AQIM's designated negotiator, Deghdegh communicated stipulations for the release of the hostages and issued ransom demands.
• Deghdegh has acknowledged that AQIM has worked to undermine the interests of countries that support U.S. counterterrorism efforts.

ABID HAMMADOU

AKAs:Abid HamaduAbdelhamid Abu ZeidAbdelhamid Abou ZeidYoucef AdelAbu Abdellah
DOB:12 December 1965POB:Touggourt, Ouargla, Algeria

• Hammadou is the deputy leader of AQIM's Tarek Ibn Zaid battalion and is based in northern Mali.
• Hammadou was involved in kidnapping the Austrian tourists for AQIM in February 2008.
• In 2003, Hammadou participated in the kidnapping of 32 foreign tourists in Algeria by the GSPC, AQIM's predecessor organization.
• Hammadou was appointed by regional AQIM leader al-Para to lead the Tarek Ibn Zaid battalion, which carried out the kidnapping (El Para, AKA Saifi Ammari, was named an SDGT on December 5, 2003).
• Hammadou and other members of the battalion received part of the ransom paid to liberate the tourists and allegedly used the funds to purchase weapons.
• In June 2005, Hammadou led a unit of AQIM operatives in an attack on a Mauritanian military outpost that killed fifteen soldiers and wounded at least another fifteen.
• Hammadou established a camp for AQIM recruits in northern Mali that included training in combat techniques, making and defusing bombs, and guerilla tactics.

This means that any of their financial assets found anywhere that touch any US Bank will be siezed, and that significant US resources may be used to find them.

-Shimron

The Rest @ the US Office of Foreign Asset Control