Iran-backed Bahrainis get terrorist label

Bahrain praises US move to sanction two of its citizens over their links with Al Ashtar Brigades

Bahrain has welcomed a decision by the US Department of State to designate two Bahrainis affiliated with ‘Al Ashtar Brigades’ group as Specially Designated (SDGT).

“This stance reflects the US position to fight terrorism and confront whoever supports it, incites others to commit terrorist acts or shows sympathy with terrorists,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

“It also represents concrete support to the efforts of the kingdom in the consolidation of peace and security and an important impetus and motivation to combating terrorism Global Terrorists under all its forms and internationally.”

The ministry late on Friday said that Bahrain was looking forward to “a shift in the way the entire international community dealt with the phenomenon of terrorism by adopting a holistic strategy with security, political, cultural and media components, to ensure the eradication of the grave phenomenon and the drying up of its funding sources.”

Earlier, the State Department regionally announced that it designated Ahmad Hasan Yousuf and Al Sayed Murtadha Majeed Ramadhan Alawi as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT) under Executive Order 13224.

The order imposes sanctions on non-Americans who “have committed, or pose a serious risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of US nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States.”