Report on designation of the Haqqani Network as a foreign terrorist organization

(a)

Findings

Congress makes the following findings: (1)A report of the Congressional Research Service on relations between the United States and Pakistan states that [t]he terrorist network led by Jalaluddin Haqqani and his son Sirajuddin, based in the FATA, is commonly identified as the most dangerous of Afghan insurgent groups battling U.S.-led forces in eastern Afghanistan. (2)The report further states that, in mid-2011, the Haqqanis undertook several high-visibility attacks in Afghanistan. First, a late June assault on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul by 8 Haqqani gunmen and suicide bombers left 18 people dead. Then, on September 10, a truck bomb attack on a United States military base by Haqqani fighters in the Wardak province injured 77 United States troops and killed 5 Afghans. A September 13 attack on the United States Embassy compound in Kabul involved an assault that sparked a 20-hour-long gun battle and left 16 Afghans dead, 5 police officers and at least 6 children among them. (3)The report further states that U.S. and Afghan officials concluded the Embassy attackers were members of the Haqqani network . (4)In September 22, 2011, testimony before the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mullen stated that [t]he Haqqani network, for one, acts as a veritable arm of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency. With ISI support, Haqqani operatives plan and conducted that [September 13] truck bomb attack, as well as the assault on our embassy. We also have credible evidence they were behind the June 28th attack on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul and a host of other smaller but effective operations. (5)In October 27, 2011, testimony before the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that “we are taking action to target the Haqqani leadership on both sides of the border. We’re increasing international efforts to squeeze them operationally and financially. We are already working with the Pakistanis to target those who are behind a lot of the attacks against Afghans and Americans. And I made it very clear to the Pakistanis that the attack on our embassy was an outrage and the attack on our forward operating base that injured 77 of our soldiers was a similar outrage.”. (6)At the same hearing, Secretary of State Clinton further stated that I think everyone agrees that the Haqqani Network has safe havens inside Pakistan; that those safe havens give them a place to plan and direct operations that kill Afghans and Americans.. (7)On November 1, 2011, the United States Government added Haji Mali Kahn to a list of specially designated global terrorists under Executive Order 13224. The Department of State described Khan as a Haqqani Network commander who has overseen hundreds of fighters, and has instructed his subordinates to conduct terrorist acts. The designation continued, Mali Khan has provided support and logistics to the Haqqani Network, and has been involved in the planning and execution of attacks in Afghanistan against civilians, coalition forces, and Afghan police. According to Jason Blazakis, the chief of the Terrorist Designations Unit of the Department of State, Khan also has links to al-Qaeda. (8)Five other top Haqqani Network leaders have been placed on the list of specially designated global terrorists under Executive Order 13224 since 2008, and three of them have been so placed in the last year. Sirajuddin Haqqani, the overall leader of the Haqqani Network as well as the leader of the Taliban's Mira shah Regional Military Shura, was designated by the Secretary of State as a terrorist in March 2008, and in March 2009, the Secretary of State put out a bounty of $5,000,000 for information leading to his capture. The other four individuals so designated are Nasiruddin Haqqani, Khalil al Rahman Haqqani, Badruddin Haqqani, and Mullah Sangeen Zadran. (b)

Sense of Congress

It is the sense of Congress that— (1)the Haqqani Network meets the criteria for designation as a foreign terrorist organization as set forth in section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189); and (2)the Secretary of State should so designate the Haqqani Network as a foreign terrorist organization under such section 219. (c)

Report

(1)

Report required

Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress— (A)a detailed report on whether the Haqqani Network meets the criteria for designation as a foreign terrorist organization as set forth in section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189); and (B)if the Secretary determines that the Haqqani Network does not meet the criteria set forth under such section 219, a detailed justification as to which criteria have not been met. (2)

Form

The report required by paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex. (3)

Appropriate committees of Congress defined

In this subsection, the term appropriate committees of Congress means— (A)the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and (B)the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives. (d)

Construction

Nothing in this Act may be construed to infringe upon the sovereignty of Pakistan to combat militant or terrorist groups operating inside the boundaries of Pakistan.