Bush signs anti-terror Executive Order

US President George W. Bush has signed an Executive Order that blocks property of persons who are determined to commit acts threatening the peace and stability of Iraq, and undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in that country.

Washington, July 23 : US President George W. Bush has signed an Executive Order that blocks property of persons who are determined to commit acts threatening the peace and stability of Iraq, and undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in that country.

In the July 17 order, Bush says it is in the interest of the United States to take additional steps due to the "unusual and extraordinary" threat to the national security and foreign policy of the country posed by acts of violence.

"I hereby report that I have issued an Executive Order blocking property of persons determined to have committed, or to pose a significant risk of committing, an act or acts of violence that have the purpose or effect of threatening the peace or stability of Iraq or the Government of Iraq or undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq or to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people," Bush says in the order. he EO further permits the Secretaries of State and Defence to block the assets like bank accounts and property of anyone who is deemed guilty of undermining such US efforts in Iraq or have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, logistical, or technical support for, or goods or services in support of, such an act or acts of violence or any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order.

Section 2 of the order says that any transaction by a United States person or within the United States that evades or avoids, has the purpose of evading or avoiding, or attempts to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited, adding "Any conspiracy formed to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited."

Once a person's property is blocked, it may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in.that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of United States persons,

"'United States person' means any United States citizen, permanent resident alien, entity organized under the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States (including foreign branches), or any person in the United States," it adds.

ANI