Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Ansar al-Sharia Terrorist Designation Act of 2013”.
Ansar al-Sharia Terrorist Designation Act of 2013
A BILL
To require a report on the designation of the Libyan faction of Ansar al-Sharia as a foreign terrorist organization, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Report on designation of the Libyan factions of Ansar al-Sharia as a foreign terrorist organization
Findings— Congress finds the following:
Ansar al-Sharia Benghazi first announced itself in February 2012. The group is led by Muhammad al-Zahawi, who had previously been an inmate of former President Muammar al-Qaddafi’s infamous Abu Salim prison.
On August 6, 2013, the Department of Justice filed sealed criminal charges against Ahmed Abu Khattalah, a senior commander within Libya’s Islamist militia Ansar al-Sharia. According to the Wall Street Journal, Mr. Abu Khattalah was seen at the United States consulate in Benghazi during the September 11, 2012, attack that killed United States Ambassador Christopher Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glen Doherty.
On October 17, 2012, the New York Times reported that Libyan authorities named Ahmed Abu Khattalah as a commander in the September 11, 2012, attack on the United States consulate in Benghazi.
On August 8, 2013, the Washington Institute for Near East Peace issued a report in which it highlights Ansar al-Sharia’s establishment of training camps in Libya for jihadists preparing to fight with extremist rebels in Syria.
Abu Sufian Bin Qumu, leader of the Ansar al-Sharia faction in Darnah, Libya, is a former Guantanamo Bay inmate with close al-Qaeda ties. Bin Qumu was an associate of Usama bin Laden and is believed to maintain connections to senior al-Qaeda members.
According to a report published by the Library of Congress in August 2012, Ansar al-Sharia “has increasingly embodied al Qaeda’s presence in Libya, as indicated by its active social-media propaganda, extremist discourse, and hatred of the West, especially the United States”.
According to a report published by the Library of Congress in August 2012, al-Qaeda’s senior leadership in Pakistan has dispatched operatives to Libya to establish a clandestine terrorist network there. The report concluded that al-Qaeda is on the verge of a fully operational network inside Libya, and Ansar al-Sharia is one of the brands employed by al Qaeda operatives.
Report—
In general— Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall, in consultation with the intelligence community, submit to the appropriate congressional committees—
a detailed report on whether the Libyan faction of Ansar al-Sharia, meets the criteria for designation as a foreign terrorist organization under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189); and
if the Secretary of State determines that the Libyan faction of Ansar al-Sharia does not meet such criteria, a detailed justification as to which criteria have not been met.
Form— The report required by paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex if appropriate.
Definitions— In this subsection:
Appropriate congressional committees— The term appropriate congressional committees means—
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and
the Committee on Homeland Security, the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives.
Intelligence community— The term intelligence community has the meaning given that term in section 3(4) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 401a(4)).
Sec. 3 Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that the Libyan faction of Ansar al-Sharia meets the criteria for designation as a foreign terrorist organization under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189) and should be designated as such.
Sec. 4 Rule of construction
Nothing in this Act may be construed to infringe upon the sovereignty of the Government of Libya to combat militant or terrorist groups operating inside the boundaries of Libya.