WASHINGTON — From October 23 - 26, 2023, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson traveled to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Doha, Qatar to collaborate with regional counterparts on counter-terrorist financing, regional stability, and the facilitation of legitimate humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.
In Riyadh, Under Secretary Nelson co-chaired an urgent meeting of the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center, where participants agreed to share information on terrorist financing red flags and typologies. He shared the U.S. unequivocally condemns the Hamas attacks starting on Oct 7, and expressed concern of the further escalation of violence and instability in the region. Under Secretary Nelson stressed the important role of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in regional stability, and welcomed efforts to ensure that the conflict does not widen to elsewhere in the region.
In Doha, Under Secretary Nelson met with Qatari partners, including Governor of the Qatar Central Bank Sheikh Bandar al Thani, Attorney General Dr. Issa bin Saad al Nuaimi, and leaders of the National Counterterrorism Committee. They discussed technical details around tracking and disrupting attempts by terrorist organizations to fundraise through the Qatari financial system. The Under Secretary also thanked his counterparts for the essential role Qatar has played in delivering life-saving humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza and expressed the urgent need for all partners to ensure that Hamas does not steal or divert aid for terrorist activities. Under Secretary Nelson pledged to continue close coordination with partners in the region as Treasury works to disrupt the flow of funds to Hamas, Hizballah, and other Iran-backed malign groups.
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