08 October 1997
(Aim is to make U.S. "no-support-for-terrorism" zone) (650) Washington -- Secretary of State Albright says the purpose of designating 30 groups as foreign terrorist organizations is "to make the United States fully a no-support-for-terrorism zone." She told the October 8 noon briefing at the State Department: "Our message to anyone who comes into our country intending to raise money for a terrorist organization is, you risk going to jail. And our message to anyone who is part of a terrorist organization and who wants to enter the United States is, you are not welcome here." Under a provision of the 1996 Anti-Terrorism Act, it is a crime to provide any designated organizations with funds, weapons or other tangible support. In addition, their representatives and members will be denied visas for entry into the United States and any funds they have in the country will be blocked. Following is the State Department text: (begin text) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman October 8, 1997 REMARKS BY SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT ON DESIGNATION OF TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS Washington, D.C. SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Good afternoon. Today the United States is demonstrating once again its leadership and determination in the struggle against international terror. Under a provision of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1996, I'm designating 30 groups as foreign terrorist organizations. These designations have three main consequences. First, as of today, it is a crime to provide funds, weapons or other types of tangible support to any of the designated organizations. Second, members and representatives of these organizations are hereby ineligible for visas to enter the United States, and are subject to exclusion from the United States. And third, any funds that these organizations have in our country will be blocked. The Anti-Terrorism Act was designed to put a stop to fundraising in the United States by and on behalf of organizations that engage in or sponsor terrorist acts. President Clinton has rightly identified terrorism as one of the most important security challenges we face in the wake of the Cold War. As the designations made today suggest, terrorism is a worldwide phenomenon. No nation is immune; certainly not the United States where terrorists have struck from lower Manhattan to Oklahoma City. The United States is responding to that threat with every available tool. We are seeking the help and cooperation of all our citizens, and we seek the help and cooperation of peoples from around the world. This requires a recognition that terrorism is not a self-sustaining enterprise. It needs money and supplies to succeed. Our goal is to make the United States fully a no-support-for-terrorism zone. Our message to anyone who comes into our country intending to raise money for a terrorist organization is, you risk going to jail. And our message to anyone who is part of a terrorist organization and who wants to enter the United States is, you are not welcome here. We are aware that some of the designations made today may be challenged in court. Due process under the law affords this opportunity. But we're also confident that the designations are fully justified, and I would note that they have the concurrence of both the Attorney General and the Secretary of Treasury. I want to emphasize, as well, that our review of organizations under the anti-terrorism law is ongoing. Other groups may be designated at any time. The steps we are taking today of cracking down on fundraising for terror and of banning terrorists from our shores are steps we urge other countries to take within their jurisdiction. By steadily reducing the habitat in which terrorism thrives, we can hope to make terrorists first an endangered species, and ultimately, an extinct one. Thank you very much. (end text)