U.S., Arab states sanction Yemeni terrorist leaders in joint effort

WASHINGTON — The United States imposed sanctions Wednesday on eight Yemenis it accuses of sponsoring terrorism — the first such sanctions imposed as part of a joint effort with Arab states to target terrorist financing launched by President Trump in May.

The sanctions block the assets of the accused terrorists and prohibit them from traveling — not only to the United States but any of the Gulf member countries that contribute to the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center.

Those countries include Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, whose leaders met with Trump at a summit in Riyadh in May to establish the joint center. "We must cut off the financial channels that let ISIS sell oil, let extremists pay their fighters, and help terrorists smuggle their reinforcements," Trump said in announcing the effort.

Among those targeted for sanctions are what the Treasury Department calls "leaders, financiers, and facilitators" of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria-Yemen and al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula: 

► Adil Abduh Fari Uthman al-Dhubhani, accused of commanding an al Qaeda-associated group of about 2,000 fighters in Yemen and making payments to various Sunni militants last year.

► Radwan Muhammad Husayn Ali Qanan, a deputy field commander for the Islamic State in Yemen accused of being responsible for assassination operations in Yemen and attempting to kidnap foreigners.

► Khalid al-Marfadi accused of attempting to assassinate Yemeni security forces in southern Yemen and recruiting extremist fighters and preparing car bombs.

► Sayf Abdulrab Salem al-Hayashi, a weapons dealer accused of financing al Qaeda activities in Yemen. The Treasury Department also sanctioned the Al Khayr Supermarket, which is owned by al-Hayashi.

► Abu Sulayman al-Adani, reportedly named as the head of the Islamic State in Yemen by ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

► Nashwan al-Wali al-Yafi'i, a finance leader who reported to al-Marfadi.

► Khalid Sa'id Ghabish al-Ubaydi, accused of transporting shipments of smuggled weapons to secret locations and storage depots for the Islamic State in Yemen.

► Bilal Ali Muhammad al-Wafi, considered to be a key member of al Qaeda in Yemen. U.S. officials say he was involved in the 2012 bombing of a Yemeni military parade rehearsal that killed more than 80 people.