R-Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst on Wednesday led a group of senators to send a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken asking him to designate the Taliban as Foreign terrorist organization (FTO).
The Taliban, a Sunni Islamist nationalist group, recently regained control of Afghanistan after the Biden administration ordered the total withdrawal of the U.S. military from the country after 20 years of war.
“Since Afghanistan regained control, the Taliban have resumed the same murderous and oppressive habits that characterized their leadership tenure before the arrival of U.S. forces in 2001,” the senators wrote. . “Even when the administration concluded the withdrawal of U.S. and allied forces from Afghanistan, we saw public attacks on people, beatings of women and girls, and research teams actively pursuing allies and partners.”
Mr. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Roy Blunt, R-Mo, hold a press conference as the Senate debates the coronavirus relief package on Friday, March 5, 2021. (Photo by Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
The senators added that the most troubling aspect of the group and its control over Afghanistan “is that among those beaten and persecuted by Taliban forces were American citizens and their families still living in Afghanistan.” .
Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama signed the letter.
OTHER INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS SAY AL-QAEDA COULD RECONSTRUCT IN AFGHANISTAN IN ONE TO TWO YEARS
The State Department recognizes Al-Qaeda (which the Taliban helped protect after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks) and several other groups such as the OTM, but the Taliban have not yet made the department’s list.
OFFICIALS OFFERED IN EXCHANGE OF BERGDAHL PRISONER EXCHANGES NOW RELEASED TERRORISTS IN TALIBAN CABINET
The organizations on the list must engage in terrorist activities that threaten the security of U.S. citizens or the national security of the country, according to the State Department.
The Taliban are responsible for the most insurgent attacks in Afghanistan, according to the director of National Intelligence (ODNI), and has denied basic health care and education rights to Afghan citizens, especially women.
Taliban soldiers stand guard in Panjshir province, northeastern Afghanistan, on Wednesday, September 8, 2021. (Photo AP / Mohammad Asif Khan)
“The Taliban appointed Sirajuddin Haqqani, the leader of the Haqqani network and a well-known terrorist wanted by the FBI for the murder of American citizens, as Interior Minister and allowed terrorist organizations to join the government. , ”the senators said.
They continued: “Considering its history of supporting terrorist attacks against the United States, its brutal style of government, its continued display of atrocities against Americans and our allies, and now its best military capability, the current version of the Taliban government poses a significant threat to the United States … We believe that the Taliban easily meet all three criteria and urge you to consider and treat the Taliban as a foreign terrorist organization and treat them as such to the fullest extent of the law. “
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPLICATION
In addition to Ernst’s letter, lawmakers on Tuesday tabled two resolutions in the House and Senate calling on the State Department to designate the Taliban as an FTO.
Blinken received questions from lawmakers on Monday during a hearing by the House Foreign Affairs Committee on the withdrawal from Afghanistan. The senator said the nature of the Taliban’s relationship with the United States and the rest of the world “will depend entirely on their conduct and actions” on freedom of travel, the defense of human rights and the fight against terrorism. .
He says there is “significant leverage” the world has against the Taliban, and notes that there are travel restrictions, that UN sanctions against the Taliban and Afghanistan’s financial reserves are currently frozen in banks. almost exclusively American.
The Haqqani Network, whose lead leader Sirajuddin Haqqani is deputy director of the Taliban, has been designated as an FTO since 2012.
Adam Shaw of Fox News contributed to this report.