US seizes 13 web domains linked to Lebanese Hezbollah, affiliates

WASHINGTON

The US on Thursday seized 13 web domains linked to Lebanese Hezbollah and its affiliates, including websites linked to the group's media wing.

The websites, which include moqawama.org, almanarnews.org, manarnews.org, almanar-tv.org,manartv.net, manarnews.net, almanar-tv.com, almanar-tv.net, alidaamouch.com, Ibrahim-alsayed.net, alemdad.net, and naimkassem.net, now display a message with Justice and Commerce Department insignias alerting visitors that the pages have been taken down.

“Today’s web domain seizures deny terrorist organizations and affiliates significant sources of support and makes clear we will not allow these groups to use U.S. infrastructure to threaten the American people,” Matthew Olsen, a top official with the Justice Department’s National Security Division, said in a statement.

“The Justice Department will continue to enforce economic sanctions as part of our commitment to deploy all available tools against threats from hostile nation-states and terrorist actors alike," he added.

The websites were registered to the Public Interest Registry and Verisign Inc., two US-based firms. They were seized via the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which requires sanctioned entities to obtain a license from the department's Office of Foreign Assets Control in order to obtain US-based services, including those pertaining to websites.

None of the 13 seized domains had done so, according to the Justice Department.

"These 13 domains are subject to seizure as assets of entities and organizations engaged in planning or perpetrating acts of terrorism against the United States, its citizens and residents, and their property," it said.

"These domains also afford a source of influence over those entities and organizations. The seizure of these domains will cut off that source of support and influence," it added.