In a nearly unprecedented move, the United States issued sanctions on a school for Islamic youth in northwest Pakistan, accusing the facility’s overseers of holding ties to al Qaeda and other militants groups.
The Department of the Treasury said in a statement Tuesday that the sanctions targeted Jamia Taleem-Ul-Quran-Wal-Hadith Madrassa, also known as the Ganj Madrassa, The Associated Press reported. The school is located in Peshawar, and it’s the first time the United States has targeted an Islamic school for sanctioning, the Treasury Department said.
The sanctions freeze any assets the school has in U.S. jurisdictions and prohibit U.S. citizens and businesses from dealing with the school, AP said.
The U.S. also sanctioned the man who is accused of being the leader for al Qaeda’s presence in the provinces of Sindh and Baluchistan.
The school’s founder, Haji Alam Sher, denied any ties with militant groups. The AP report did not detail how the U.S. uncovered the links or what actions the school has taken because of its relationship with al Qaeda.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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