Syrian Military Intel Director Tagged for Syria's Support of Terrorism in Lebanon
By Andrew Cochran
The U.S. Treasury Department is announcing the designation of Assef Shawkat, Director of Syrian Military Intelligence, as a Specially Designated National of Syria for "directly furthering the Government of Syria's support for terrorism and interference in the sovereignty of Lebanon" (quoting a departmental statement). Under the designation, any of Shawkat's assets held under U.S. jurisdiction are frozen, and U.S. persons are prohibited from any business dealings with him. More importantly, the designation announces to the world that the United States officially considers Shawkat and the SMI as fomenters of Islamic terrorism in Lebanon, and it fingers a senior official and close confidant of President Assad. Shawkat's importance to the Assad regime is noted in the press release: "In addition to the power he derives from his position, Shawkat also has access to the highest levels of the Syrian power structure by virtue of his marriage to Bushra al-Asad, the sister to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Shawkat is a close confidant of President Assad and an important member of his inner circle of advisors."
With respect to Shawkat's actions, the press release says that, "in 2005, Shawkat met with Hizballah Secretary General Hasan Nasrallah, PFLP-GC chief Ahmad Jibril, PIJ Secretary General Ramadan Shallah, in addition to Hamas and PIJ officials. Shallah, Jibril and Nasrallah are designated Specially Designated Terrorists pursuant to Executive Order 12947. Shawkat and the officials discussed coordination and cooperation between the terrorist groups. Shawkat and Jibril hoped to ease the freedom of movement for Palestinian terrorist groups, including PFLP-GC in Lebanon, so that the groups could move between Lebanon and Syria, as well as receive weapons and ammunition more easily."
Two close associates at SMI who ran Syrian military intel operations in Lebanon, Ghazi Kanaan and Rustum Ghazali, were designated last June 30. You can read Executive Order 13338, which authorizes designations of Syrian individuals and entities, here.