Talk Radio News Service: News, Politics, Media

By Alexa Gitler-Talk Radio News Service

A collection of Senate Democrats announced a new piece of legislation Tuesday that would require the State Department to recognize the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

“The designation of TTP would allow the trigger of serious counterterrorism measures including: freezing of assets, barring foreign nationals with ties to the group from entering the U.S., and criminalizing the act of providing any material assistance to the group,” Sen. Charles Scuhmer (D-N.Y.) said during a press briefing with Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), and Robert Menendez (D-NJ).

The announcement comes the day after Faisal Shahzad, the man behind the attempted Times Square bombing, plead guilty to a 10 count indictment and conceded receiving training and financial assistance from the TTP.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) noted that Shahzad’s confession highlights the need to confront the TTP.

“Keep in mind, we escaped luckily this time [in capturing Shahzad],” said Lautenberg. “Waiting will not help.”

Currently 45 organizations are named on the State Department’s list. The designations last for two years and must meet three conditions: that the organization must be foreign, that the organization must engage in proven and documented terrorist activity, and that the terrorist activity must threaten the security of U.S. citizens or the national security of U.S.