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Order Targets Entities That Aid WMD Proliferation
U.S. President George W. Bush today issued an executive order to freeze assets within the United States of companies suspected of supporting weapons of mass destruction proliferation (see GSN, June 23). The order, called Blocking Property of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferators and Their Supporters, authorizes the U.S. Treasury Department, working with the State Department and the attorney general, to identify individuals or companies supporting WMD proliferation or acting as fronts for countries attempting to gain weapons. The Treasury Department can then seize assets of those assisting in weapons proliferation. Sources said the order is aimed at stopping Syria, Iran and North Korea from obtaining weapons of mass destruction, according to Reuters (Tabassum Zakaria, Reuters, June 29). “This order sends a clear message: if you deal in weapons of mass destruction, you're not going to use the U.S. financial system to bankroll or facilitate your activities,” said Treasury Secretary John Snow (Katherine Shrader, Associated Press/Yahoo!News, June 29). An annex to the order lists three North Korean and three Iranian companies, as well as the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and Syria’s Scientific Studies and Research Center. Any assets of those entities that were in the United States or came under U.S. control “are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn or otherwise dealt in” (White House Executive Order, June 29).
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