U.S. freezes assets of Syria’s intelligence chief

Stepping up its pressure on Damascus, the Bush administration froze all the U.S. assets of Syria’s military intelligence chief, Asef Shawkat, BBC reported.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Treasury Department ordered all American banks to block any assets belonging to Shawkat and banned U.S. citizens from doing business with him.

The department claims that Shawkat, brother-in-law of President BASHAR AL-ASSAD, played a role in furthering Syria's "support for terrorism and interference in the sovereignty of Lebanon".

It also alleges that Shawkat is backing Lebanese and Palestinian resistance groups, such as HEZBOLLAH, HAMAS and the Islamic Jihad, in his position as military chief. He is also accused of playing a key role in Syria’s alleged support for resistance fighters in IRAQ.

"Today's action is a significant signal that those like Mr Shawkat who support Syrian terrorism will be held to account," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said on Wednesday.

Freezing Shawkat’s assets is the latest action by Washington to step up pressure on Damascus.

The Syrian government has been under intense international pressure since the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister RAFIQ HARIRI last year, which led to the withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon.

In 2004, the Bush administration imposed sanctions that banned certain U.S. exports to Syria, severed banking relations with the Commercial Bank of Syria, and banned Syrian airlines from flying to and from the United States.

Last June, the U.S. Treasury Department froze the assets of Syria’s late Interior Minister, Ghazi Kanaan, and its chief of military intelligence for Lebanon, Rustum Ghazali.