(NewsNation) — The U.S. has frozen the assets of three men from Uzbekistan and one from the Republic of Georgia over their alleged ties to ISS and a human smuggling network. The move comes two days after eight people with suspected ties to the terrorist organization were arrested in New York, Philadelphia and Los Angeles.
The Treasury Dept. identifies the four as: Adam Khamirzaev, a native of the Republic of Georgia, and three men from Uzbekistan: Muhammadyusuf Alisher Ogli Mirzoev, Muhammad Ibrohimjon Niyazov and Olimkhon Makhmudjon Ugli Ismailov.
Treasury officials say that Khamirzaev is an ISIS leader and is officially designated a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist,” while the other three are members of the ISIS-linked smuggling network. The Department did not say how long the group had been operating or how many people it had smuggled.
The effect of the sanctions means that any property the men own in the U.S. is frozen, Americans are banned from conducting business with them, and anyone who does engage could face similar sanctions.
The Treasury Dept. says the investigation that led to the sanctions was done in “close cooperation” with the Turkiye, the country also known as Turkey.
Meanwhile, the eight men from Tajikistan arrested earlier this week are being held on immigration violations. They entered the country through the southern border last spring and passed through the government’s screening process without raising any terrorism-related concerns at the time.
A source tells NewsNation that, as most countries don’t share criminal information with the United States, authorities don’t have access to other countries’ databases, unless a host country puts out an international alert.
On top of this, there is a trend of migrants leaving their identification documents at the border, making it harder for authorities to identify and vet them.
FBI Director Christopher Wray recently testified before Congress about the increased national security threats posed by open borders. He said that many individuals are initially cleared, but later raise red flags.
