Latest news with #ForeignTerroristOrganization
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Indus Waters Treaty termination will benefit J&K, have far-reaching impact on Pakistan: LG Manoj Sinha
SRINAGAR: After the United States designated the militant outfit The Resistance Front (TRF) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha made a strong statement on Saturday. TRF was behind the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. He said there are still a few elements in the region who "speak the language of TRF." He also asserted that terminating the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) is a befitting response to Pakistan and would have far-reaching consequences, as the country heavily depends on the Indus river system. 'India's water will now flow within India and remain in India. With the termination of IWT, we now have full control over the Jhelum and Chenab rivers,' LG Sinha said at a function in Jammu. He also said that the termination of IWT would benefit J&K immensely, which will be able to harness its real hydro power potential. 'The barren areas of Jammu can be irrigated and there will be new momentum in the development of infrastructure in J&K.' India suspended IWT with Pakistan after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 25 tourists and a local pony wala were killed. "India will now create infrastructure, power plants and diversion to new areas with proper infrastructure to use the water and it will enable construction of new reservoirs," he added.
News18
2 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Pakistan's TRF Gets Terror Outfit Tag: US State Department Versus UNSC Process Explained
Last Updated: TRF Gets Terror Tag: The US system focuses on enforcement, whereas the UN process is more diplomatic and political In a major win for India, the United States (US) State Department has designated Pakistan-based The Resistance Front (TRF) as a terrorist outfit. This process was more stringent and technical than that of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). The key differences between the two explained. US Vs UNSC: Difference In Processes The US system focuses on enforcement, whereas the UN process is more diplomatic and political. The designation of a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) or Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) by the U.S. is a technical matter. Conversely, the UN process lacks judicial transparency and relies heavily on member-state submissions, often stalled by China and Pakistan to block or loosen sanctions against proxy terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and its offshoots, such as TRF. The US State Department adheres to stringent legal and evidentiary procedures under U.S. law. Following the Pahalgam terror attack, the group The Resistance Front (TRF) claimed responsibility on Telegram but later retracted the statement, which became crucial evidence. Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) pertains to FTO designation, while Executive Order 13224 is required for SDGT designation. Both require strong evidence and material proof. Agencies such as the CIA, FBI, NSA, DIA, and partner foreign intelligence services provide classified information, which is vetted on all technical parameters. Criteria include actual acts of terrorism, capacity and intent, and threats to U.S. nationals or national security. The Bureau of Counterterrorism at the State Department prepares a detailed report, which is later reviewed by the Justice Department, Treasury Department, and Homeland Security. All ensure the group meets the strict legal threshold, especially for due process, if U.S.-based individuals and entities are involved. Seven days prior, the Congress is confidentially notified, and after this period, the designation is formally published in the Federal Register. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
3 days ago
- Politics
- News18
US Terror Tag For TRF Boosts India's FATF Case Against Pakistan After China's UNSC Block
India could now use this move of the TRF's designation by the US state department to press the UNSC to bring sanctions against the TRF. In May, China helped Pakistan to ensure 'The Resistance Front' (TRF) is not named in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) press statement issued after the dastardly Pahalgam attack. But India reversed the tables at the global stage on Thursday with some slick diplomacy as the US State Department designated TRF as a global terrorist organisation. India could now use this move of the TRF's designation by the US state department to press the UNSC to bring sanctions against the TRF, whom India has termed as a proxy of the Lashkar-e-Taiba. It is believed that Pakistan had tried to lobby to prevent TRF's designation by the US but India's diplomacy moves trumped Pakistan. A top source in the Indian establishment said Pakistan had made TRF withdraw its original claim of being behind the Pahalgam attack but the same did not cut ice with the US. The move could mean freeze on funding of TRF as well as strengthen India's case at the FATF meeting in August to put Pakistan back in the 'grey list'. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar thanked the US for designating TRF as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) and made it clear that this organisation had claimed responsibility for the April 22 Pahalgam attack. 'Zero tolerance for terrorism," Jaishankar said, underlining the latest step as a 'strong affirmation" of India-US counter-terrorism cooperation. India's case is that Lashkar-e-Taiba created a front called TRF and the same has been flagged by India before the UNSC various times. TRF twice claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack but later withdrew it sensing it could backfire for Pakistan at the global level. While Pakistan, with China's help, was able to avoid a mention of the TRF at the UNSC in May, India's sustained diplomacy since has helped bring about the US move now. 'Today, the Department of State is adding The Resistance Front (TRF) as a designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT)," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement on Friday. 'These actions taken by the Department of State demonstrate the Trump Administration's commitment to protecting our national security interests, countering terrorism, and enforcing President Trump's call for justice for the Pahalgam attack," he added. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
U.S. Sanctions bosses of Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang, citing threat to region
In a new blow to one of Latin America's most feared criminal syndicates, the U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday announced sanctions against Héctor 'Niño' Guerrero and five other top figures in Tren de Aragua, a Venezuela-based gang now designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The gang, which originated inside a Venezuelan prison, has rapidly grown into a powerful transnational criminal network involved in drug trafficking, extortion, migrant smuggling and sexual exploitation, with operations reaching key areas of the United States, including South Florida. The group has been linked to human trafficking networks that move migrants north through Central America and Mexico, with stops in border cities like Tapachula and Tijuana — and eventual arrivals in U.S. cities. The sanctions freeze any assets the individuals have under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibit any U.S. citizen or business from engaging in transactions with them. Officials also warned that foreign banks doing business with the gang could face secondary sanctions and risk losing access to the U.S. financial system. Guerrero, a former inmate at Venezuela's notorious Tocorón prison, is credited with building Tren de Aragua — often referred to as TdA — into a global force, using brutal tactics and prison contacts to extend the gang's reach throughout Latin America. 'Guerrero expanded TdA from a prison gang involved in extortion and bribery to an organization engaged in terrorism with growing influence throughout the Western Hemisphere,' the Treasury said in a press release. 'The Department of State is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Guerrero.' In addition to Niño Guerrero, the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned: Yohan Jose Romero ('Johan Petrica') – A co-founder of the gang and Guerrero's close lieutenant. He oversees the group's illegal mining operations and weapons trafficking, including military-grade arms. A $4 million reward is being offered for his Angel Santana Pena ('Santanita') – An original member of the gang, accused of coordinating bombings, homicides, and terrorist activity from behind Jose Perez Castillo ('Wilmer Guayabal') – A cell leader involved in drug trafficking, assassinations of law enforcement and military personnel and bribery Marbelys Rios Gomez – Guerrero's wife, who is believed to manage the group's money laundering operations and is tied to terrorist Anner Castillo Rondon ('Pure Arnel') – The leader of Los Gallegos, a Tren de Aragua affiliate in Chile, implicated in human trafficking, sexual exploitation and narcotics activity. All individuals were sanctioned under executive orders targeting both transnational criminal organizations and global terrorist actors. Tren de Aragua has become South America's most feared gang, surpassing even MS-13 and Brazil's PCC in brutality and expansion. Chilean and Colombian authorities have blamed the group for surges in homicides and disappearances in recent years. Earlier this year, the U.S. State Department designated Tren de Aragua as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, citing its use of violence, corruption and terror to control communities, extort local businesses and infiltrate government institutions. The presence of TdA members in the United States led President Donald Trump to invoke the Alien Enemies Act to quickly deport Venezuelans suspected of being part of the violent gang to a megaprison in El Salvador, without giving them the opportunity to defend themselves in court. The practice was immediately halted by a federal court, but a recent Supreme Court decision has opened the door for the administration to deport undocumented migrants to third countries. ICE plans show that the administration is preparing to send migrants to distant countries while giving them as little as 24 hours to respond — and, in some cases, as little as six hours. According to the proclamation issued by Trump in March, the Nicolás Maduro regime had launched 'an invasion of the United States' by sending TdA members to infiltrate the U.S. with the ultimate goal of causing havoc. While most experts agree that the presence of TdA members is not as widespread as the administration has suggested, a recently revealed FBI report concluded that the Caracas regime did promote and finance gang members to travel into the United States.
Scoop
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Revoking The Foreign Terrorist Organization Designation Of Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham
JULY 7, 2025 In line with President Trump's May 13 promise to deliver sanctions relief to Syria, I am announcing my intent to revoke the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) designation of al-Nusrah Front, also known as Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), under the Immigration and Nationality Act. This revocation will be effective tomorrow, July 8. Tomorrow's action follows the announced dissolution of HTS and the Syrian government's commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms. This action also builds on the momentum of the June 30 Executive Order 'Providing for the Revocation of Syria Sanctions' and recognizes the positive actions taken by the new Syrian government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa. This FTO revocation is an important step in fulfilling President Trump's vision of a stable, unified, and peaceful Syria.
