ICC Note:
Representative Trent Franks (R) (AR-8) delivered a speech to the House of Representatives Thursday, reminding members of his calls upon then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to designate Boko Haram a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), and to call on the House to “face Boko Haram for the terrorist group that it is, and defeat it.” The United States’ Department of State formally designated Boko Haram an FTO in November of 2013. Frank’s speech concurred with a United Nations Security Council Committee’s addition of Boko Haram to a list of known al-Qaeda affiliates. The designation allows for greater imposition of assets freezes, travel bans, and weapons against Boko Haram and its membership. The speech can be viewed here.
05/23/2014 Washington, D.C. (Office of Representative Franks) – Congressman Trent Franks (AZ-08) spoke early this morning on the House floor, after his amendment intended to counteract Boko Haram’s increasingly violent and destabilizing influence in Nigeria and surrounding
“Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
“Mr. Speaker, last night, the House passed an amendment encouraging our regional partners and allies to develop an interagency strategy to counter the vicious terror attacks perpetrated by Boko Haram. Boko Haram is the terrorist group that recently kidnapped over 300 innocent Nigerian girls. Mr. Speaker, it is impossible for any of us to imagine the fear and heartbreak these children and their families are experiencing.
“Now, for some time it’s been known these groups have extensive links between Boko Haram and Al-Qaeda affiliates. Yet, despite my multiple pleas two years ago to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, she would not even consider acknowledging Boko Haram’s religious ideology and list them as a foreign terrorist organization.
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