Three Hizballah Members Sanctioned by the US Government
Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned three Hizballah-linked financial facilitators and their Lebanon-based travel company, specifically, OFAC designated Adel Diab, Ali Mohamad Daoun, Jihad Salem Alame, and their company, Dar Al Salam for Travel & Tourism. This action comes at a time in which the Lebanese economy faces an unprecedented crisis and Hizballah, as part of Lebanon’s government, is blocking economic reforms and inhibiting much needed change for the Lebanese people.
The United States designated Hizballah as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on October 8, 1997 and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on October 31, 2001. Hizballah’s widespread network of financial facilitators has helped the group exploit Lebanon’s financial resources and survive the current economic crisis. Through businessmen like those designated today, Hizballah gains access to material and financial support through the legitimate commercial sector to fund its acts of terrorism and attempts to destabilize Lebanon’s political institutions. The designations of the individuals and entity described below demonstrate Treasury’s ongoing efforts to target Hizballah’s continued attempts to exploit the global financial sector and evade sanctions.
“With this action, Treasury is disrupting businessmen who raise and launder funds for Hizballah’s destabilizing activities while the Lebanese people face worsening economic and humanitarian crises,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. “Hizballah claims it supports the Lebanese people, but just like other corrupt actors in Lebanon that Treasury has designated, Hizballah continues to profit from insulated business ventures and backdoor political deals, amassing wealth that the Lebanese people never see.”
Adel Diab, Ali Mohamad Daoun, Jihad Salem Alame, and Dar Al Salam for Travel & Tourism were designated under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended, which targets terrorists, leaders, and officials of terrorist groups, and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.
According to the Department of Treasury, Adel Diab (Diab) is a Hizballah member and Lebanese businessman who used his business to raise funds for Hizballah and facilitate Hizballah’s activities. Diab has jointly owned assets with Ali Al Sha’ir, an assistant to Hizballah fundraiser Hasib Muhammad Hadwan, a member of Hizballah’s General Secretariat, who works with Hizballah Secretary General Hasan Nasrallah. Both Al-Sha’ir and Hadwan were designated by OFAC in 2021 for their Hizballah-related activities. Diab is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Hizballah.
Ali Mohamad Daoun (Daoun) is a Hizballah official who is in charge of the second district for Hizballah. Daoun is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Hizballah.
OFAC is also designating Hizballah member Jihad Salem Alame (Alame) for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Hizballah.
Diab, Daoun, and Alame together are the founders and partners of Dar Al Salam for Travel & Tourism, a Lebanon-based travel agency that they own and operate. Dar Al Salam for Travel & Tourism is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, directly or indirectly, Daoun.
