Counter Terrorism Designations

Treasury Press Release: Treasury Dismantles Major Hamas Financing Network

State Press Release: United States Cuts Off Hamas Financing Network

Additions:

The following individuals have been added to OFAC’s SDN List:

OFAC Program: SDGT  Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 594

AL-ZAQ, Saleem Abdallah Saleem

• AKA:
  • ALZAQ, Saleem A.S.
  • ZAK, Salim
• Address:
  • Mailbox 5151, Baghdad Street, Shujaiyyah, Gaza
  • Mailbox 119, Baghdad Street, Shujaiyyah, Gaza
• DOB: 12 May 1981
• Nationality: Palestinian
• Gender: Male
• Secondary sanctions risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886
• Passport: 5428093 (Palestinian) expires 09 Mar 2027
• National ID No.: 909097131 (Palestinian)
• Party Type: Individual
• Linked to: HAMAS

Supplemental Information: Treasury describes al-Zaq as a Gaza-based battalion deputy in Hamas’s military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades. It says he oversees a financial network that has used money services businesses and cryptocurrency wallets to move significant funds to the Al-Qassam Brigades. Treasury adds that he also worked as a photographer in the Hamas media office and attended official Hamas events, where he had close access to senior Hamas officials, which it cites as evidence of his trusted standing in the organization. He was designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for acting, or purporting to act, directly or indirectly for or on behalf of Hamas.

BARIKA, Faouzi

• Address:
  • 227 Chemin de Bois Milon, St. Andrew de Cubzac 33240, France
  • 6 Impasse Marie Louise Gachet, St. Andrew de Cubzac 33240, France
• DOB: 13 Feb 1991
• POB: Tebessa, Algeria
• Nationality: France
• Gender: Male
• Secondary sanctions risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886
• Passport: 14CV66604 (France)
• Driver’s License No.: 140968401047 (France)
• Party Type: Individual
• Linked to: HAMAS

Supplemental Information: Treasury says Barika and Oualid operate from France, where they run purported charities that claim to raise money for humanitarian aid to Gazan civilians. In practice, according to Treasury, they raise funds and send them directly to al-Zaq, who passes them on to Hamas. Treasury states that between 2020 and 2026, Barika, Oualid and al-Zaq collected more than $2 million for Hamas, about $1.5 million of it after the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Barika and Oualid sent hundreds of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency to al-Zaq, who advertised both of their fundraising accounts on his own social media accounts. Barika jointly established Association Baraka with al-Zaq and uses it to solicit public donations that are sent to al-Zaq for transfer to Hamas. Barika was designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for providing material, financial, or technological support or services to Hamas.

OUALID, Amel

• AKA: BOUCHEKIF, Amel
• Address:
  • 58 rue Parmentier, Saint Etienne 42100, France
  • 52 BD Antonia Vivaldi, Saint Etienne 42000, France
  • 37 rue de Molina, Saint Etienne, France
• DOB: 03 Jul 1987
• POB: Oran, Algeria
• Nationality: Algeria
• Gender: Female
• Secondary sanctions risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886
• Driver’s License No.: 180642351327 (France)
• Party Type: Individual
• Linked to: AL-ZAQ, Saleem Abdallah Saleem

Supplemental Information: Treasury says Oualid operates a purported charity from France and partners with al-Zaq to raise money and transfer it directly to him for onward transfer to Hamas (see the Barika listing above for the amounts and time period Treasury attributes to the network). She established Ensemble C Mieux, which she uses, like Association Baraka, to raise money to send to al-Zaq and Hamas. Oualid was designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for providing material, financial, or technological support or services to al-Zaq, rather than to Hamas directly.

The following entities have been added to OFAC’s SDN List:

OFAC Program: SDGT  Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 594

ASSOCIATION BARAKA

• Address: 6 Impasse Marie Louise Gachet, St. Andrew de Cubzac 33240, France
• Website: associationbaraka.fr
• Email Address: contact@associationbaraka.fr
• Secondary sanctions risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886
• Organization Established Date: 13 Oct 2023
• Target Type: Charity or Nonprofit Organization
• Registered Charity No.: W331005557 (France)
• Linked to: BARIKA, Faouzi

Supplemental Information: Treasury describes Association Baraka as a France-based organization that Barika jointly established with al-Zaq. According to Treasury, Barika uses it as a mechanism to solicit public donations that are sent to al-Zaq for transfer to Hamas. It was designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed, directly or indirectly, by Barika.

ENSEMBLE C MIEUX

• AKA: “TOGETHER IT’S BETTER”
• Address: 58 rue Parmentier, Saint Etienne 42100, France
• Secondary sanctions risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886
• Organization Established Date: 01 Jul 2024
• Target Type: Charity or Nonprofit Organization
• Registered Charity No.: W423015492 (France)
• Linked to: OUALID, Amel

Supplemental Information: Treasury describes Ensemble C Mieux as a France-based organization established by Oualid, which, like Association Baraka, she uses to raise money to send to al-Zaq and Hamas. It was designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed, directly or indirectly, by Oualid.