US formally blacklists Zarqawi group as terrorist, imposes sanctions

WASHINGTON, Oct 15 (AFP) - The United States on Friday formally designated the Iraqi insurgent group of Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi a "foreign terrorist organization" and slapped sanctions on him and other members, a day after they claimed responsibility for deadly twin attacks in Baghdad's Green Zone.
The designations, made by Secretary of State Colin Powell, were made amid worsening violence in Iraq, including kidnappings and beheadings of foreign hostages by members of the Jordanian-born Zarqawi's Tawhid wal Jihad (Unity and Holy War) group.
"The Secretary of State has concluded that there is a sufficient factual basis to find that the relevant circumstances (for the designation) exist with respect to Jam'at al Tawhid wa'al-Jihad," the State Department said in a notice in the Federal Register.
"Therefore, effective October 15, 2004, the Secretary of State hereby designates that organization as a foreign terrorist organization," it said.