Assets of 39 suspected terrorists frozen

US President Mr George W Bush today named an additional 39 individuals and organisations to have their assets frozen.

US President Mr George W Bush today named an additional 39 individuals and organisations to have their assets frozen.

The Treasury Department has released a new list of entities suspected of conducting or financing terrorist activities.

It includes businesses and charitable groups that funnel money to the al-Qaida network.

The latest move to choke off terrorists' funding is considered by Mr Bush to be a key part of the US government's broader anti-terrorism campaign.

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"We are determined to deny terrorists the resources to carry out their acts of evil," said Treasury Secretary Mr Paul O'Neill.

Mr O'Neill says the assets of all 22 of the FBI's recently released "most wanted terrorists" list are included in the new list and thus subject to the blocking order.

The new list follows up on a September 24th order by Mr Bush authorising a freeze on the assets of 27 people and organisations suspected of conducting or financing terrorist activities.

The list included 12 individuals counting Osama bin Laden; 11 organisations, including the al-Qaida network; three charities; and one business.

Mr O'Neill says the government will continue to add names of entities being targeted to have their assets frozen.

"This list will continue to grow as we share information between nations and develop an increasingly clear understanding of the complex network of terrorist financing," Mr O'Neill said.

PA