- Title: Sanctions-hit Lebanese bank denies Hezbollah ties
- Date: 30th August 2019
- Summary: BEIRUT, LEBANON (AUGUST 30, 2019) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF JAMMAL TRUST BANK (JTB) JTB ATM MACHINE EXTERIOR OF JTB BANK BANK SIGN ON EXTERIOR OF BUILDING READING (English): "JTB BANK" SIDON, LEBANON (AUGUST 30, 2019) (REUTERS) BANNER READING (Arabic) AND (English): "JAMMAL TRUST BANK" ON EXTERIOR OF BUILDING SIGN READING (Arabic): JAMMAL TRUST BANK EXTERIORS OF JTB BANK, TRAFFIC MOVING ON ROADS BANK SIGN ON EXTERIOR OF BUILDING READING (English) AND (Arabic): "JTB BANK" MAN AT ENTRANCE OF JTB BANK EXTERIORS OF BANK JTB ATM MACHINE SIGN READING (English): JTB BANK WE SPEAK YOUR LANGUAGE
- Embargoed: 13th September 2019 12:53
- Keywords: usa sanctions lebanon banks jammal trust bank
- Location: BEIRUT AND SIDON, LEBANON
- City: BEIRUT AND SIDON, LEBANON
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001AUEUTS7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Lebanon's central bank said it would guarantee all "legitimate deposits" in the newly sanctioned Jammal Trust Bank, which on Friday (August 30) rejected U.S. allegations that it helps to fund Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Washington hit the bank and its subsidiaries with sanctions on Thursday (August 29) for allegedly facilitating the financial activities of the Shi'ite Hezbollah movement in Lebanon. The U.S. Treasury Department accused the bank of funnelling money to the families of suicide bombers.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States is determined to cut off support in Lebanon for heavily armed Hezbollah, which Washington classifies as a terrorist group.
Lebanon's central bank Governor Riad Salameh told Reuters on Friday that it would guarantee money put in the bank by depositors not subject to sanctions.
Jammal Trust, a 50-year-old private commercial bank in Lebanon, said it "unequivocally denies all the allegations" that prompted what it described as "surprising" sanctions.
The bank's statement said it has "unwavering commitment to ... international regulations on countering money laundering and terrorism financing".
(Production: Issam Abdullah, Hassan Hankir, Dina Selim) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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