US freezes Asef Shawkat assets
Syria-USA, Politics, 1/20/2006

The US has decided to freeze assets of the chairman of the Syrian military intelligence Lt. Gen. Asef Shawkat, brother in law for the Syrian President basher al-Assad, on the USA territories.

The decision which was issued by the US treasury secretary warned Americans against trade dealings with Shawkat.

The spokesman for the White House Scott McClellan said that Shawkat has directly contributed to Syria's backing of terrorism, including the "rebellion in Iraq" as well as supporting the Palestinian resistance groups which take Damascus as a headquarters.

The US administration did not disclose the amount of property Asef Shawkat has in the USA, but the spokesman for the White House said that these measures are clear evidence that persons like Shawkat who support the Syrian terrorism should be held accountable.

In reaction to the American measure, Syria said on Thursday that a US move to freeze the assets of a Syrian military intelligence chief showed Washington's bias toward Israel. The United States on Wednesday froze the US assets of Asef Shawkat, brother-in-law of President Bashar al-Assad, and accused him of fomenting terrorism against Israel and backing Syria's intrusion into Lebanon.

"This shows the bias of the current US administration in protecting Israel's aggressive policies... and denial of the Palestinian legitimate right to resist Israeli terrorism," a Syrian government source said.

The United States has adopted a policy of "targeted sanctions" against Syria, including freezing assets of individuals. In June it froze the assets of two senior Syrian officials accused of leading military and security operations in Lebanon.

This policy "will not serve security and stability in our region, but rather it will strengthen the rejection of it by our Arab people," the Syrian statement said.

Previous Stories:
  Lebanese students protest US intervention; Welsh's remarks   (1/18/2006)
  American threats to Syria on investigation cooperation   (1/16/2006)
  No cooperation with US and Israel against Syria: Gul   (1/13/2006)
  Washington Post: UN asks Belgian to head investigation of Hariri assassination   (12/29/2005)
  Lebanese army leadership denies Junblat accusation   (12/20/2005)
  Asharq Al-Awsat: Syrian authorities arrest 12 members of terror organization   (12/14/2005)
  Damascus criticizes US decision to freeze assets of Kanaan, Ghazaleh   (7/1/2005)
  Washington freezes assets of a Syrian company accused of providing weapons to Saddam Hussein's regime   (6/10/2005)

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