US designates Lahore-based Money exchange firm owner as global terrorist

The US government called Iqbal a Lashkar conduit and said that “Iqbal is a founding member of Lashkar-affiliated NGO Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation’s (FIF) governing board”.  The statement said that the State Department “identified FIF as an alias of Lashkar in November 2010”.

“Iqbal uses his business, Asma Money Exchangers (AME), to conduct financial transactions on behalf of LT and its affiliates.  As of April 2013, Iqbal informed customers that they could send money from AME to Lashkar front Jamaat-ud Dawa (JUD), which the State Department identified as an alias of Lashkar in April 2006. As of 2010, Iqbal has also served as FIF’s Finance Secretary,’’ the statement said.

“In this role, Iqbal shared responsibility along with six other FIF officers for approving new members of the group.  Iqbal and these six FIF officers were also responsible for identifying banks to hold FIF funds and endorsing, signing and delivering check drafts and other money payment orders on behalf of FIF.  During this time, Iqbal sent about $25,000 to Lashkar operations chief and SDGT (Special Designated Global Terrorist) Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and assisted LT chief financial officer and SDGT Haji Muhammad Ashraf in sending money to an LT associate”.

Giving details about Asma Money Exchangers (AME), the US Treasury department said that AME is a money service provider and currency exchange business controlled by its chief executive Iqbal that “provides financial services to Lashkar and serves as a conduit for financial donations to Lashkar and its affiliates. As of April 2013, AME accepted donations on behalf of Lashkar and facilitated financial transfers between Lashkar donors and the group. Also in 2013, AME displayed in its place of business donation boxes for FIF. AME has provided financial services to Lashkar since late 2005.”

The US government action will block “all property and interests in the United States or in the possession or control of US persons in which Iqbal and Asma Money Exchangers” and prohibit “US citizens from engaging in transactions with them”.