The profile of al-Qaeda operations in Yemen has risen substantially since the failed terror plot on Christmas day. Today, the U.S. State Department showed how seriously they are taking this threat. In an important procedural step, Secretary of State Clinton officially classified the Yemeni based organization, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization.”
In a statement released this afternoon, State Department spokesman Phillip Crowley detailed the repercussions of the designation:
These actions prohibit provision of material support and arms to AQAP and also include immigration related restrictions that will help stem the flow of finances to AQAP and give the Department of Justice the tools it needs to prosecute AQAP members.
The release cited the numerous attacks AQAP has claimed responsibility for since its inception ilast year, including the bombing attempt of Flight 253. The designation, Crowley explained, is intended to serve as “an effective means of curtailing support for terrorist activities and pressuring groups to get out of the terrorism business.”
