Calling on US Treasury Secretary to Issue Executive Order to Halt ISIL Funding
January 14, 2016
Secretary Jack Lew took the unprecedented step in December 2015 to call together Ministers of Finance from the Security Council members of the United Nations to reach consensus around stopping access to member states’ markets as a source of funding for ISIL. Blood antiquities was identified as one of several means of funding for the terrorist organizations, and the finance ministers committed to take the necessary steps to stop these coming into their country. This laudable pledge comes on top of the passage of Resolution 2199, February 2015 by the Member States, which condemns any trade with ISIL, al-Qaida or their affiliates – this includes oil and illicit antiquities.
In light of the urgent situation, the Antiquities Coalition has written Secretary Lew to commend him for his leadership and encourage Treasury to uses its authorities under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code to take immediate action through executive order to halt the import of blood antiquities. While ideally HR 1493, the legislation drafted to comply with Resolution 2199, would be passed on an expedited basis to provide the legal basis to take this action, there are concerns that differences on the substance of the bill could delay it in the Senate. As an interim step to ensure that the United States is in full compliance with the Resolution 2199 on its year anniversary, Treasury should move without delay close the US market to all sources of funding, particularly those of blood antiquities, for ISIL and related extremist organizations.
See the PDF HERE for the full letter