NCTC assess terrorism facilitators list

The National Counter-Terrorism Center (NCTC) has begun assessing the individuals and companies listed by the US Department of the Treasury as terrorism facilitators and funders.

The Department of the Treasury on Tuesday issued out a list of 20 Maldivian individuals and 29 companies that are believed to have ties to ISIS, ISIS-K and al-Qaeda and have been funding their terrorism activities in the Maldives. The US government effectively placed sanctions on the individuals and companies.

NCTC’s Director General Zakariyya Mansoor spoke with Mihaaru News about the list and said that several assessments on the individuals and the companies are required before relevant authorities take action against them.

“We will act according to the evidence,” Zakariyya said.

He noted the importance of thoroughly investigating and clarifying the validity of the information when serious allegations, such as those made against him, are brought forward.

Maldives Police Service has begun profiling and making assessments of all the individuals and companies listed by the Department of the Treasury, but the authority was not available for a comment.

Many of the individuals listed have previously been either suspected or investigated for terrorism ties, and some have even been held on remand.

FIU to make final decision

As of now, it is unclear if the Maldives has placed any sanctions on the individuals and companies listed as terrorism facilitators.

A senior official from a Maldivian commercial bank said that individual banks do not have the discretion to take restrictive measures in such circumstances. "Banks can only act once MMA makes a decision," the official said.

The official, however, said that the listed individuals and companies have been restricted from making international transactions while their domestic transactions will be closely monitored.

Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA), the central bank, is leading the case and is expected to hold a meeting to make its final decision. MMA, however, had not made any official comments on the matter.