The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) this week identified a verified account
which appears to belong to Maysar Ali al-Juburi, a U.S. Specially Designated
National, suggesting that Twitter has again accepted payment from an individual
prohibited by the Treasury Department from making transactions with U.S.
entities. Al-Juburi, who is also on the U.N. Security Council’s Sanctions List,
is a senior official in the Syria-based group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an
al-Qaeda affiliate.





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Tech & Terrorism: Twitter Accepts More Payments From Prominent Islamists
Designated By U.S., U.N.



(New York, N.Y.) — The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) this week identified a
verified account which appears to belong toMaysar Ali al-Juburi
<[link removed]>, a U.S. Specially Designated National
<[link removed]>
, suggesting that Twitter has again accepted payment from an individual
prohibited by the Treasury Department from making transactions with U.S.
entities. Al-Juburi, who is also on the U.N. Security Council’sSanctions List
<[link removed]>, is a senior
official in the Syria-based groupHayat Tahrir al-Sham
<[link removed]>
(HTS), an al-Qaeda affiliate. CEP reported the account to Twitter on February
21, but it remains verified as of March 1.



Earlier this year, Twitter unlawfully accepted
<[link removed]>
payment to verify accounts belonging to Hedayatullah Hedayat, head of
Taliban’s department for “access to information,” and Abdul Haq Hammad, the
Taliban’s top media watchdog. CEP has also identified pro-ISIS propaganda
admonishing
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the Taliban for purchasing verification for Twitter accounts linked to Taliban
figures.



These repeated violations of U.S. and U.N. sanctions demonstrate a shocking
laissez-faire attitude towards the implementation of U.S. and international
sanctions by Twitter. Allowing the receipt of what can only have been
electronic transfers of money from prominent members of U.S.-sanctioned
entities on the SDN list represents either a severe failure of internal
controls or the near complete lack of these.



“According to the relevant legal provisions, individuals designated by the
U.S. and the U.N. should be unable to pay for services from U.S. companies.
Providing such services and accepting payments for them is a clear violation.
Furthermore, Twitter should clarify how these payments were received and where
the money used for the payment originated to allow the investigation of
additional violations of U.S. and U.N. sanctions by third parties. Twitter’s
repeated processing of payments from individuals tied to al-Qaeda linked groups
and the Taliban requires U.S. authorities to intervene. Twitter has a
responsibility to its employees, users, and shareholders to always conduct
business lawfully as well as to act immediately against content that violates
its terms of service,” said CEP senior director Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler.



Prior to the introduction of paid verification via the Twitter Blue
<[link removed]> service, CEP identified

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Twitter accounts belonging to other U.N.-designated individuals, such asHamad
Abdallah Ahmad Al-Ali
<[link removed]>
. His account remains active but unverified.



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