H.Doc.107-17 EMIGRATION LAWS AND POLICIES OF ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN, KAZAKHSTAN, ...

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completion of certain imports predating the national emergency, 
and certain administrative transactions.
    Since the inception of the program, OFAC has continued to 
emphasize to the international banking community in the United 
States the importance of identifying the blocking payments made 
by or on behalf of the Taliban and has worked closely with the 
banks to assure the effectiveness of interdiction software 
systems used to identify such payments. As of November 21, 
2000, two transactions totaling more than $493,000 were blocked 
during this period. This brings the total assets blocked since 
the inception of the program to more than $250 million. Under 
the Regulations, transactions in violation of the sanctions 
where there is no blockable interest of the Taliban must be 
returned to remitters (i.e., ``rejected''). During the 
reporting period, 29 transactions were rejected by U.S. banks 
causing a disruption of more than $1.2 million in business for 
the Taliban.
    Various enforcement actions and investigations are being 
aggressively pursued. Reports of new violations are being 
scrutinized. Since my last report, OFAC has initiated two 
administrative civil penalty proceedings for violations of 
IEEPA and the sanctions.
    5. The expenses incurred by the federal government in the 
6-month period from July 4, 2000, through January 3, 2001, that 
are directly attributable to the exercise of powers and 
authorities conferred by the declaration of the national 
emergency with respect to the Taliban in Afghanistan are 
estimated at approximately $260,000. Personnel costs were 
largely centered in the Department of the Treasury 
(particularly in the Office of Foreign Assets Control, the 
Office of the General Counsel, and the U.S. Customs Service), 
the Department of State, and components of the Department of 
Justice.
    6. The Taliban continues to provide Usama bin Ladin and his 
organization, Al-Qaida, with safe haven and security allowing 
him the necessary freedom to operate, despite repeated efforts 
by the United States to persuade the Taliban to expel bin Ladin 
to a third country where he can be brought to justice. The 
Taliban also allows Usama bin Laden to make repeated public 
threats against the United States, to operate a network of 
terrorist training camps, and to use Afghanistan as a base from 
which to sponsor terrorist acts abroad. For these reasons, the 
Taliban actions pose an unusual threat to international 
security.
    Available information confirms that bin Laden's 
organization, working with other terrorist groups, continues 
actively to plan attacks on Americans and others. Reliable 
evidence also indicates that the bin Laden network seeks to 
acquire weapons of mass destruction, including chemical 
weapons.
    The international community recognized the need to take 
action against the Taliban for its harboring of Usama bin Ladin 
in the unanimous adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 
1267, which freezes funds and other financial resources of the 
Taliban and prohibits Taliban-associated flights.
    I shall continue to exercise the powers at my disposal to 
apply economic sanctions against the Taliban in Afghanistan as 
long as these measures are appropriate, and will continue to 
report periodically to the Congress on significant developments 
pursuant to 50 U.S.C. 1703(c).

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