The United States asked a UN panel to remove six people and businesses from a sanctions list for suspected ties to the al Qaeda network following sharp criticism from European nations and Canada about the shoddiness of the US allegations.
The list of more than 170 groups and individuals was compiled by the UN Security Council's sanctions committee on Afghanistan. The result was months of international scrutiny and a freeze on the assets of those named for their alleged support to al Qaeda, held responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.
"We have submitted a proposal that a number of entities and individuals be delisted. I sent a letter to the committee today," US Ambassador John Negroponte told reporters.
Taken off from the UN list are two Somali-born Swedes, Abdirisak Aden, 33, Abdulaziz Abdi Ali, 33 who headed the al-Barakaat bank and exchange company that the United States says was used by al Qaeda to funnel funds around the world.
Sweden had hoped that Yusaf Ahmed Ali, 27, would also come off the list for his role in al Barakaat, used by Somalis to send remittances home to their relatives.
The third individual is Garad Jama of Minneapolis, an American citizen born in Somalia who heads Aaron Money Wire Service, Inc., one of the three businesses removed from the list. The other two are Global Services International U.S.A., also in Minneapolis, and the Barakaat Enterprise U.S.A., based in Colombus, Ohio.
All the individuals and groups involved had to sign detailed statements with the US Treasury saying they would not participate in banned organizations, such as Barakaat.
Asked whether Washington had any qualms about the way the list was compiled, Negroponte said the circumstances had required quick US action.
"We are acting here under very challenging circumstances. I don't have any qualms," he said.
Negroponte said the process demonstrated there was a mechanism to revise the list when necessary. "So if anything, I'd say it shows that the system can be made to work," he said.
Most European Union countries, particularly Sweden, have asked that the committee institute proper procedures and not take over wholesale a list compiled by the US Treasury Department.
To this end the United States has introduced a UN Security Council resolution with an appeals procedure and allows the accused to have enough funds to pay for essentials, such as food and rent.
Sweden and lawyers for the three accused had worked to get the names off the list since February. Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh spoke to US Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill in April.
Europeans complained that the system has no due process and Security Council members are just taking over US lists wholesale. Any appeal so far had to go through Washington rather than the United Nations.
The United States last month removed a Somali-born Canadian, Liban Hussein, from the list. He was associated with Barakaat in North America. Canada arrested and released him in November but refused a US warrant to extradite him.
© Reuters
