On October 3, 2011, the Office of Foreign Assets Control issued two new General Licenses for Syria. General License No. 13 authorizes certain services in connection with the overflight or emergency landing of U.S. owned aircraft in Syria provided no payments are made to certain blocked persons and General License No. 14 authorizes transactions with respect to telecommunications provided that no payment involves certain debits to an account of the Government of Syria or are to certain blocked persons.
The Bureau of Industry and Security announced on October 3, 2011 that Flowserve Corporation and ten of its foreign affiliates have agreed to pay a civil penalty totaling $2.5 million to settle 288 charges for violating the Export Administration Regulations by making unlicensed exports and reexports of pumps, valves and related components to Iran and Syria and other countries.
The Website for the International Trade Data System has posted (1) an updated ACE Portal Access Application (this form may be used for PGAs applying for access to ACE as well as to make any changes or updates to an existing PGA user account in ACE) and (2) an updated PGA Roster.
On September 28 and 29, 2011, the Office of Foreign Assets Control added several individuals to its "Specially Designated Nationals" List. SDNs are (i) individuals and companies owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, targeted countries or (ii) individuals, groups, and entities, such as terrorists and narcotics traffickers designated under programs that are not country-specific. The assets of listed SDNs are blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them.
The Treasury Department has sanctioned an additional five individuals pursuant to Executive Order 13224 for providing financial, material or technological support, or acting for on behalf of the most dangerous terrorist organizations operating in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The five are Hajji Faizullah Khan Noorzai (financier), Hajji Malik Noorzai (Pakistan-born businessman),Abdur Rehman (Taliban facilitator), Abdul Aziz Abbasin (terrorist commander), and Fazal Rahim (financial facilitator). OFAC release on the addition of these individuals to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list available here.
On September 27, 2011, the Office of Foreign Assets Control issued two new General Licenses for Syria. General License No. 11 authorizes the export or reexport of certain services in support of nongovernmental organizations' non-profit activities, provided they do not benefit certain blocked persons. General License No. 12 authorizes third-country diplomatic and consular funds transfers provided the transfer is not to certain blocked persons.
On September 23, 2011, the Office of Foreign Assets Control issued General License No. 8A to replace and supersede General License No. 8 (dated September 19, 2011). GL No. 8A authorizes all transactions involving the Government of Libya, its agencies, instrumentalities, and controlled entities, and the Central Bank of Libya, provided that certain requirements are met.
The State Department has designated two Pakistan-based Lashkar-e Tayyiba leaders and founding members, Zafar Iqbal and Hafiz Abdul Salam Bhuttavi, as Specially Designated Terrorists pursuant to Executive Order 13224. OFAC listing of these individuals as Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs) available here.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control is removing the Cuban Vessel REDESTOS (H2SA) from the Specially Designated Nationals list, effective September 21, 2011. The vessel's property and interests in property are no longer blocked pursuant to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (31 CFR part 515).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control is removing Bruno Buhler (Switzerland) from its Specially Designated Nationals list. OFAC has determined that the individual, whose property and interests in property were blocked pursuant to Executive Order 13315, as amended, is removed from the list effective September 21, 2011.