State Department Noon Briefing, September 28, 2000

STATE DEPARTMENT REGULAR BRIEFING
BRIEFER: PHIL REEKER, DEPUTY SPOKESMAN
STATE DEPARTMENT BRIEFING ROOM, WASHINGTON, D.C.
1:40 P.M. EDT THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2000
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)


Q: I think the designation of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan must
now have gone through its procedural process on the Hill, and I was
wondering whether you have identified any individuals who will
consequently lose their visas or any assets which will be frozen?


MR. REEKER: Let me tell you what I can on that subject. On September
25th, a number of you may have noticed that the United States
published in the Federal Register the formal designation of the
Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan as a foreign terrorist organization
under US law. It shouldn't come as any surprise to most of you who
have followed this that the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan is a deadly
terrorist group. It has threatened the security of Uzbekistan and the
region. Its publicly stated goal is the forcible overthrow of
Uzbekistan's current government. And we believe that this Islamic
Movement of Uzbekistan was involved in explosions in Tashkent that
killed 16 people, as well as a bus hijacking in 1999 in which two
passengers and several police were killed. Also, in 1999, the Islamic
Movement of Uzbekistan took a group of Japanese geologists hostage.
And just last month, the group kidnapped four US citizens, who I
believe were mountain climbers, and held them hostage. Fortunately, as
you will recall, the four were able to escape.


So the Department has had this group under review for some time and
has determined that it meets the criteria to be designated as a
foreign terrorist organization. The law authorizes the Secretary of
State to make these designations, which are reviewed every two years -
at least every two years - once they are made. And of course the
Secretary may add or delete organizations at any time.


And in terms of your specifics, I really don't have anything. There
are legal consequences which may be of interest. It will be unlawful
for a person in the United States, or subject to the jurisdiction of
the United States, to provide funds or other material support to a
foreign terrorist organization. And, as you indicated, representatives
and certain members of designated foreign terrorist organizations - if
they are aliens - can be denied visas or excluded from the United
States. In terms of specific names that would fall under that
category, I just don't have anything for you at this point.


Q: Not specific names, but just any consequences from this move at
all?


MR. REEKER:  Well, I just outlined two of the consequences --



Q:  Have you worked out what they will be yet?



MR. REEKER: Well, those are the things - once it is designated - what
we will have to look at. I don't have anything to tell you now. As
well, the third consequence is that US financial institutions must
block funds of designated foreign terrorist organizations and their
agents, and report the blockage to the Office of Foreign Assets
Control at the Department of Treasury.




(The briefing was concluded at 2:40 P.M.)