US Adds 5 Foreign Nationals to Terrorism Blacklist Over Daesh, Al-Qaeda Link

The United States has added five foreign nationals to the specially designated global terrorists list for membership in Daeshe and al-Qaeda terror groups, the US Department of State said in a press release on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The terror list designations freeze the men’s assets that are subject to US jurisdiction and generally prohibit US persons and companies from doing business with them.

"The Department of State has designated El Shafee Elsheikh, Anjem Choudary, Sami Bouras, Shane Dominic Crawford and Mark John Taylor as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Section 1(b) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224," the release stated.

Elsheikh, a UK national, traveled to Syria in 2012 and joined al-Qaeda and Daesh. The 28-year old terrorist is believed to be among a Daesh execution cell known as "The Beatles."

The group is accused of beheading US reporters James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and US and British aid workers Peter Kassig and David Haines and Alan Henning.

British cleric Choudary was arrested in 2014 for pledging allegiance too, and recruiting foreign fighters for Daesh.

Choudary has links to UK-based extremist groups such as Al-Muhajiroun and is currently in prison, where he pledged to continue the recruiting efforts.

Crawford, a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, and New Zealander Taylor were sanctioned for fighting for Daesh in Syria.

Bouras, a Swedish national of Tunisian descent, was added to the list for his ties to al-Qaeda. The State Department said he was involved with planning suicide attacks.