U.S. Official Says Hizbullah Sanctions Not against 'Shia Community'
Assistant U.S. Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorist Financing Marshall Billingslea visited Lebanon January 22-23 to discuss combating illicit finance, including “financing of Hizbullah's terrorist and trafficking activities,” the U.S. Embassy in Beirut said in a statement.
In his meetings, Billingslea engaged with Lebanese authorities and financial institutions on combating all forms of illicit finance, stressing “the importance of countering Iranian malign activity in Lebanon, and the U.S. commitment to help Lebanon protect its financial system from Hizbullah, ISIS (Islamic State group), and other terrorist organizations,” the Embassy said.
The visiting U.S. official also urged Lebanon to take “every possible measure to ensure Hizbullah is not part of the financial sector.”
Concerning the Hizbullah International Financing Prevention Act II, Billingslea emphasized the law “does not target the Shia community,” but targets Hizbullah's alleged “financial activities worldwide.”
The official also highlighted the “close partnership that the U.S. government has with the Central Bank of Lebanon and Lebanese financial institutions,” reiterating the importance of “adhering to U.S. sanctions.”
And finally, Billingslea renewed the U.S. commitment to “work with Lebanon to protect and promote Lebanon's financial system and to support a strong, stable, and prosperous Lebanon.”
During the visit, the official met with President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri, Minister of Finance Ali Hassan Khalil, Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh, Chairman of the Banking Control Commission Samir Hammoud, the Association of Banks of Lebanon, and the Union of Arab Banks.
