U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated 13 persons pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13382 of June 28, 2005, “Blocking Property of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferators and Their Supporters.” 

These five entities and eight individuals are key components of a vast network procuring electronics on behalf of Syria’s Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC), the agency responsible for the development of Syria’s chemical weapons.  In a coordinated action earlier this week, the Government of France renewed an asset freeze on 24 entities and individuals from this same procurement network for providing an array of support to the SSRC.

“Syria’s horrific use of chemical weapons, including attacks against innocent women and children, remains deeply embedded in our minds.  Today, we are continuing our campaign to stop the Assad regime’s ruthless attacks by targeting the procurement networks that have supported its chemical weapons program.  Along with Sunday’s actions by the French, and together with our law enforcement partners, today’s actions reinforce our ongoing international efforts with our allies to halt these atrocities,” said Sigal Mandelker, Treasury’s Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.  “We remain firm in our resolve to counter Syria’s horrific use of chemical weapons, and will continue to take aggressive action against those who supply the SSRC and enhance Syria’s capacity to produce and use chemical weapons.”