Modernization of Executive Order 13224

Press Statement
Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State
September 10, 2019

Today, the President signed an Executive Order modernizing and expanding sanctions to combat terrorism. This Executive Order – the most significant update of terrorism designation authorities since the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks – enhances the United States' ability to target and deprive terrorists and their enablers of financial, material, and logistical support worldwide. Today's expansion of our counterterrorism authorities enables us to more effectively sanction the leaders of terrorist organizations, as well as those who participate in training to commit acts of terrorism. This Order also puts foreign financial institutions on notice that they risk sanctions if they knowingly conduct or facilitate any significant transactions on behalf of designated terrorists.

The State Department is moving aggressively to implement these new authorities. Today, the Department has designated one terrorist group – Hurras al-Din, an al-Qa'ida affiliate in Syria – as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). The Department has also designated as SDGTs 12 leaders of previously designated groups, including Hizballah, HAMAS, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, ISIS, ISIS-Philippines, ISIS-West Africa, and Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan. In addition to these actions, the Department of the Treasury has designated 15 additional terrorists affiliated with ISIS, ISIS-Philippines, ISIS-Khorasan, al-Qa'ida, HAMAS, and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force under the same authority.

Today's actions ensure that no effort is spared to preserve the security of the United States, modernize our tools and authorities to counter terrorism, and deny terrorists the resources to plan and carry out attacks.