NEW YORK (WAM) 

The United States on Tuesday announced the designation of branches of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan as terrorist organisations, under Executive Order 14362, aimed at eliminating the capabilities and operations of groups that the Administration says pose a threat to regional and US national security.

Under the designations, the Lebanese branch has been listed as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) by the US State Department. At the same time, the Egyptian and Jordanian chapters have been classified as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) by the US Treasury Department.

These measures will subject the groups to sanctions, including asset freezes, transaction prohibitions and other restrictions designed to cut off resources that could be used to engage in or support violence.

US officials said the move reflects the opening actions of an ongoing effort to counter acts of violence and destabilisation linked to these Brotherhood chapters, including alleged support for militant groups such as Hamas and involvement in campaigns that harm US interests and those of its partners in the Middle East.

The designations follow a broader policy set in motion by the executive order, which directs senior US officials to deprive designated entities of resources and aim to strengthen cooperation with regional partners to address security threats.