Non-Cooperative Countries & Territories and List of Names for Suspicious Account Reporting

Our Ref:

B10/1C

6 July 2004

The Chief Executive
All Authorized Institutions

Dear Sir / Madam,

Non-Cooperative Countries & Territories and List of Names for Suspicious Account Reporting

I am writing to inform you of the latest developments in the following areas:

Non-Cooperative Countries & Territories (NCCTs)

The FATF has recently removed Guatemala from the list of NCCTs, having regard to the progress that it has made in improving its anti-money laundering regime. Jurisdictions remaining on the list of NCCTs are Cook Islands, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nigeria and the Philippines. The FATF has also decided to maintain its counter-measures currently imposed on Myanmar and Nauru. The related FATF press release can be found on its homepage (http://www.fatf-gafi.org/).

List of names for suspicious account reporting - US Executive Order and Government Gazette

Further to my letter of 13 May, the US Government has recently added a number of individuals/entities to the list issued under the US Executive Order 13224. The relevant information can be found on the website of
the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury (http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/eotffc/ofac/sanctions/terrorism.html) under the respective headings of "Names of entities designated on 06-02-04", "Name of individual designated on 06-03-04", "Names of those designated on 06-10-04" and "Names of individuals designated on 06-23-04".

Meanwhile, an updated list specifying terrorists and terrorist associates designated by the United Nations Security Council Committee was separately published under the United Nations (Anti-Terrorism Measures) Ordinance and the United Nations Sanctions (Afghanistan) Regulation in the Gazette on 28 May 2004 (G.N. 3362) and 2 July 2004 (G.N. 4164) respectively. Compared with the list attached to my letter of 20 April, the names of four individuals (Hacene ALLANE, Kamel DJERMANE, Dhou EL-AICH and Ahmad ZERFAOUI) and two entities (Al Furqan and Taibah International-Bosnia Offices) associated with the Al-Qaida organization have been respectively added as items 39, 70, 74 and 166 of List C and items 17 and 99 of List D. In addition, information on two individuals (Zulkepli BIN MARZUKI and Yazid SUFAAT under items 64 and 147 of List C) and one entity (Ansar al-Islam under item 31 of List D) has been updated. This new list is available in the Government's website at (http://www.info.gov.hk/eindex.htm). A copy of the list in MS Word format is also attached to facilitate update of your electronic database.

You are reminded to check the designated names against your records and report any transactions or relationships you have or have had with the named individuals or entities to the Joint Financial Intelligence Unit and the HKMA. You are also reminded to browse the above websites regularly for the latest information.

Yours faithfully,

William A. Ryback
Deputy Chief Executive

Encl.

Attachment (MS Word, 407KB)