The United States disrupted an Iran-backed terrorist group’s online operations to recruit new members and promote its evil agenda.

According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), the federal government seized the websites “Aletejahtv.com, Aletejahtv.org, kataibhezbollah.com,” kataibhezbollah.org.”  These websites serve as a media arm of Kata’ib Hizballah.

The U.S. Secretary of Treasury and the Department of State designated Kata’ib Hizballah as a foreign terrorist organization for committing, directing, supporting, and posing significant risks of acts of violence or terrorism against Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces.

Seized websites published contents promoting Kata’ib Hizballah’s agenda

Based on the investigation of the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry Security, the seized websites published internet communications including articles, photographs, and videos designed to promote Kata’ib Hizballah's agenda including destabilizing Iraq and recruiting new members to join its cause to carry out violence or terrorism.

The websites also served as a live online television broadcast channel, Al-etejah TV, which expressly stated that parts of its communications were published by the terrorist organization.

Under U.S. law, designated entities like Kata’ib Hizballah are prohibited from obtaining or using goods or services including domain services and websites without a license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control. A U.S. company based in Reston, Virginia owned and operated the seized websites or domain names.

In a statement, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers said, “Seizures like these are critical to preventing designated entities and terrorist organizations from using U.S. websites to recruit new members and promote their twisted world views. While this case is a reminder that terrorists don’t need to step foot in our country to further their aims, today’s actions show that the Department will do what it takes to stop them.”

On the other hand, “The Bureau of Industry and Security’s Office of Export Enforcement will continue to aggressively disrupt Iranian backed terrorist organizations such as Kata’ib Hizballah from utilizing U.S. based online networks and services in violation of U.S. law,” said P. Lee Smith, who is performing the non-exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement at the Department of Commerce.

He added, “The Bureau of Industry and Security is committed to protecting our warfighters and Allied Forces from terrorist acts of violence inspired and directed via online networks.”

In August, U.S. authorities disrupted the online fundraising campaigns and seized the cryptocurrency accounts of terrorist organizations Al-Qaeda, Al-Qassam Brigades, and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). They also seized and shut down the terrorist group’s websites.

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