US to designate Yemen’s Houthis as terrorist group, says Pompeo

Why doesn’t Pompeo just designate Yemen as a terrorist country?

Planet Free Will:

Outgoing US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced yesterday that Washington will designate Yemen’s Houthi movement, known as Ansarallah, as a foreign terrorist group.

“I also intend to designate three of Ansarallahs leaders, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, Abd al-Khaliq Badr al-Din al-Houthi, and Abdullah Yahya al Hakim, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists”, Pomepo said in a statement.

Pompeo said that the Department of State will notify Congress of his intent, although they could still block the decision which could see the Houthis blacklisted a day before the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden on 20 January. In November it was reported that US President Donald Trump was planning to add the Houthis to the US list of terrorist groups.

“The designations are intended to hold Ansarallah accountable for its terrorist acts, including cross-border attacks threatening civilian populations, infrastructure and commercial shipping,” he explained. Pompeo wanted to fast-track the move, according to one diplomatic source, as part of a “scorched-earth policy” as the administration prepares to make way for the incoming Democrat administration. read more