[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1959 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1959
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To require a report on the designation of the Haqqani Network as a
foreign terrorist organization and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Haqqani Network Terrorist
Designation Act of 2011''.
SEC. 2. 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) 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, and the Select Committee on
Intelligence of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee
on Foreign Affairs, and the Permanent Select Committee
on Intelligence of the House of Representatives.
(c) 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.
Passed the Senate December 17, 2011.
Attest:
Secretary.
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1959
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To require a report on the designation of the Haqqani Network as a
foreign terrorist organization and for other purposes.