Treasury targets high-ranking Pakistani militants

The U.S. Treasury Department is forbidding Americans from engaging in transactions with three high-ranking militants in "Pakistani-based terrorist organizations."

The department on Thursday designated two members of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi - senior leader Amanullah Afridi and chief operational commander Mati ur-Rehman - for acting for or on behalf of that group and al Qaeda.

The designations also freeze any assets the designees have under U.S.
jurisdiction.

Abdul Rauf Azhar, a senior leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed, was designated for acting for or on behalf of that group.

"All three of today's targets are actively involved in leading or
planning operations on behalf of these dangerous terrorist organizations," said Stuart Levey, the Treasury Department's under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.

Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, which has conducted many attacks in Pakistan, is
responsible for the January 2002 kidnapping and killing of U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl. Jaish-e-Mohammed has conducted attacks in India and Pakistan.

Both groups have been designated by the United States as foreign terrorist organizations.