UNITED NATIONS - A UN Security Council panel has removed Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden from its sanctions list, according to an official announcement.
The decision came almost two years after bin Laden’s death at the hands of US Special Forces which conducted a unilateral raid into Abbottabad where he had taken refuge.
The Al-Qaeda leader had been subjected to a travel ban and asset freeze since he was listed by the Security Council Al-Qaeda sanctions committee on January 25, 2001. The UN committee said in a statement that bin Laden was officially removed from the sanctions list on February 21, but that countries must submit requests to unfreeze any of his assets.
Those countries must also “provide assurances to the committee that the assets will not be transferred, directly or indirectly, to a listed individual, group, undertaking or entity, or otherwise used for terrorist purposes.”There are about 233 individuals and 63 entities or groups on the UN Al-Qaeda sanctions list.
All individuals on the list are subject to asset freezes and an international travel ban.