US hits 3 Iran-based al-Qaida figures with terror sanctions

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration has slapped sanctions on three senior al-Qaida figures based in Iran who it accuses of helping transfer money and fighters from South Asia to the Middle East.

The Treasury Department announced Wednesday that it had identified Saudi national Faisal Jassim Mohammed al-Amri al-Khalidi, Egyptian national Yisra Muhammad Ibrahim Bayumi and Algerian national Abu Bakr Muhammad Muhammad Ghumayn as "specially designated global terrorists." The move freezes any assets the trio may have in U.S. jurisdictions and bars Americans from doing business with them.

According to Treasury, al-Khalidi is an al-Qaida military commission chief and former a battalion commander who had ties with the Pakistani Taliban, Bayumi is the group's liaison with Iranian authorities and Ghumayn is in charge of al-Qaida members who are living in Iran.