US slaps ban on Syrian scientists over attack

WASHINGTON has imposed financial sanctions on 271 employees of a Syrian research centre it indicated was responsible for developing and producing sarin used to kill dozens of people in the April 4 chemical weapons attack by President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

The sanctions, imposed by the Treasury Department’s office of foreign assets control, freeze all money the employees may have in US financial institutions and discourage other international banks from dealing with them.

“We will not tolerate the use of chemical weapons by any actor, and we intend to hold the al-Assad regime accountable for its unacceptable behaviour,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.

It was unclear what effect the new sanctions would have on those targeted. All are listed only as working for Syria’s Scientific Studies and Research Centre, which itself was sanctioned in 2005.