[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 17 (Monday, May 1, 2006)]
[Pages 794-796]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 13399--Blocking Property of Additional Persons in 
Connection With the National Emergency With Respect to Syria

April 25, 2006

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and 
the laws of the United States of America, including the International 
Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the 
National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), section 5 of the 
United Nations Participation Act, as amended (22 U.S.C. 287c)

[[Page 795]]

(UNPA), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code; and in view of 
United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1636 of October 31, 
2005,
    I, George W. Bush, President of the United States of America, 
determine that it is in the interests of the United States to (1) assist 
the international independent investigation Commission (the 
``Commission'') established pursuant to UNSCR 1595 of April 7, 2005, (2) 
assist the Government of Lebanon in identifying and holding accountable 
in accordance with applicable law those persons who were involved in 
planning, sponsoring, organizing, or perpetrating the terrorist act in 
Beirut, Lebanon, on February 14, 2005, that resulted in the 
assassination of former Prime Minister of Lebanon Rafiq Hariri, and the 
deaths of 22 others, and other bombings or assassination attempts in 
Lebanon since October 1, 2004, that are related to Hariri's 
assassination or that implicate the Government of Syria or its officers 
or agents, and (3) take note of the Commission's conclusions in its 
report of October 19, 2005, that there is converging evidence pointing 
to both Lebanese and Syrian involvement in terrorist acts, that 
interviewees tried to mislead the Commission's investigation by giving 
false or inaccurate statements, and that a senior official of Syria 
submitted false information to the Commission. In light of these 
determinations, and to take additional steps with respect to the 
national emergency declared in Executive Order 13338 of May 11, 2004, 
concerning certain actions of the Government of Syria, I hereby order:
    Section 1. (a) Except to the extent that sections 203(b)(1), (3), 
and (4) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1702(b)(1), (3) and (4)) may apply, or to 
the extent provided in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that 
may be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract 
entered into or any license or permit granted prior to the effective 
date of this order, all property and interests in property 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 any United 
States person, including any overseas branch, of the following persons 
are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or 
otherwise dealt in: persons determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, 
after consultation with the Secretary of State,
    (i) to be, or to have been, involved in the planning, sponsoring, 
organizing, or perpetrating of:
    (A) the terrorist act in Beirut, Lebanon, that resulted in the 
assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and the 
deaths of 22 others; or
    (B) any other bombing, assassination, or assassination attempt in 
Lebanon since October 1, 2004, that is related to Hariri's assassination 
or that implicates the Government of Syria or its officers or agents;
    (ii) to have obstructed or otherwise impeded the work of the 
Commission established pursuant to UNSCR 1595;
    (iii) to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, 
material, or technological support for, or goods or services in support 
of, any such terrorist act, bombing, or assassination attempt, or any 
person designated pursuant to this order; or
    (iv) to be owned or controlled by, or acting or purporting to act 
for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, any person designated 
pursuant to this order.
    (b) I hereby determine that, to the extent section 203(b)(2) of 
IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1702(b)(2)) may apply, the making of donations of the 
type of articles specified in such section by, to, or for the benefit of 
any person designated pursuant to this order would seriously impair my 
ability to deal with the national emergency declared in Executive Order 
13338, and I hereby prohibit such donations as provided by paragraph (a) 
of this section.
    (c) The prohibitions in paragraph (a) of this section include but 
are not limited to (i) the making of any contribution or provision of 
funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person 
designated pursuant to this order, and (ii) the receipt of any 
contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such 
person.
    Sec. 2. (a) 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.

[[Page 796]]

    (b) Any conspiracy formed to violate any of the prohibitions set 
forth in this order is prohibited.
    Sec. 3. For the purposes of this order:
    (a) the term ``person'' means an individual or entity;
    (b) the term ``entity'' means a partnership, association, trust, 
joint venture, corporation, group, subgroup, or other organization; and
    (c) the term ``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.
    Sec. 4. For those persons designated pursuant to this order who 
might have a constitutional presence in the United States, I find that, 
because of the ability to transfer funds or other assets 
instantaneously, prior notice to such persons of measures to be taken 
pursuant to this order would render these measures ineffectual. I 
therefore determine that for these measures to be effective in 
addressing the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13338, 
there need be no prior notice of a determination made pursuant to 
section 1(a) of this order.
    Sec. 5. The Secretary of the Treasury, after consultation with the 
Secretary of State, is hereby authorized to take such actions, including 
the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all powers 
granted to the President by IEEPA and UNPA, as may be necessary to carry 
out the purposes of this order. The Secretary of the Treasury may 
redelegate any of these functions to other officers and agencies of the 
United States Government, consistent with applicable law. All agencies 
of the United States Government are hereby directed to take all 
appropriate measures within their authority to carry out the provisions 
of this order and, where appropriate, to advise the Secretary of the 
Treasury in a timely manner of the measures taken.
    Sec. 6. This order is not intended to, and does not, create any 
right, benefit or privilege, substantive or procedural, enforceable at 
law or in equity by any party against the United States, its 
departments, agencies, instrumentalities, or entities, its officers or 
employees, or any other person.
    Sec. 7. This order is effective at 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time 
on April 26, 2006.
                                                George W. Bush
The White House,
April 25, 2006.

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., April 27, 
2006]

Note: This Executive order was released by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on April 26, and it was published in the Federal Register on 
April 28.