Updated November 2, 2022
Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO)
The Foreign Terrorist Organization List
Consequences of Designation
Congress has shown recurring interest in the administration
It is unlawful for a person in the United States or subject
of the State Department’s FTO list and its application to
to the jurisdiction of the United States to knowingly
groups that the U.S. government considers to be
provide “material support or resources” to a designated
undertaking terrorism-related activities.
FTO.
The State Department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism (CT) is
Representatives and members of a designated FTO, if
responsible for identifying entities for designation as an
they are aliens, are inadmissible to, and in certain
FTO. Prior to doing so, the Department is obligated to
circumstances removable from, the United States.
demonstrate that the entity in question engages in “terrorist
activity,” as defined in Section 212 (a)(3)(B) of the
The Secretary of the Treasury may require U.S.
Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) (8 U.S.C.
financial institutions possessing or controlling any assets
§1182(a)(3)(B)), or “terrorism,” as defined in Section
of a designated FTO to block all transactions involving
140(d)(2) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act
those assets.
(FRAA), Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989 (FRAA) (22 U.S.C.
§2656f(d)(2)), or retains the capability and intent to engage
FTO designation further
in terrorist activity or terrorism. When assessing entities for
supports U.S. efforts to curb terrorism financing and to
possible designation, CT looks not only at the actual
encourage other nations to do the same;
terrorist attacks that a group has carried out, but also at
whether the group has engaged in planning and preparations
stigmatizes and isolates designated terrorist
for possible future acts of terrorism or retains the capability
organizations internationally;
and intent to carry out such acts.
deters donations or contributions to and economic
Terrorist activity, as found in the INA, specifically focuses
transactions with named organizations;
on many types of violent activities or terrorist support
heightens public awareness and knowledge of terrorist
efforts that could affect U.S. security interests. This
organizations; and
definition does not address the motivations or goals of the
perpetrators of the attack. However, the second aspect of
signals to other governments U.S. concern about named
these criteria for FTO designation, “terrorism,” as provided
organizations.
in the FRAA, approaches the issue from the motivations of
the aggressor and the targets of the violent activity. The
FTO Revocation Process
FRAA defines terrorism as “premeditated, politically
The INA sets out three possible bases for revoking an FTO
motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant
designation:
targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents.”
The Secretary of State must revoke a designation if the
Secretary finds that the circumstances that were the
FTO Designation Criteria
basis of the designation have changed in such a manner
Entities placed on the FTO list are suspected of engaging in
as to warrant a revocation.
terrorism-related activities. By designating an entity as an
FTO, the United States seeks to limit the group’s financial,
The Secretary of State must revoke a designation if the
property, and travel interests. Per Section 219 of the INA,
Secretary finds that the national security of the United
as amended via Section 302 of the Antiterrorism and
States warrants a revocation.
Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, the Secretary of State
The Secretary of State may revoke a designation at any
must demonstrate that the entity of concern has met the
time.
three criteria to allow the Department to designate it as an
FTO. The suspected terrorist group must
Since its inception, numerous entities have been placed on
and removed from the FTO list. Found below is a list of the
be a foreign organization,
entities currently designated as FTOs and groups that have
engage in or retain the capability and intent to engage in
been delisted.
terrorism, and
threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national
defense, foreign relations, or the economic interests of
the United States.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO)
Entities Currently Designated as FTOs
8/20/2014
Mujahidin Shura Council in the Environs of
Date Designated
Jerusalem (MSC)
10/8/1997
Abu Nidal Organization (ANO)
9/30/2015
Jaysh Rijal al-Tariq al Naqshabandi (JRTN)
Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG)
1/14/2016
ISIL-Khorasan (ISIL-K)
Aum Shinrikyo (AUM)
5/20/2016
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’s Branch in
Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA)
Libya (ISIL-Libya)
Gama’a al-Islamiyya (Islamic Group) (IG)
7/1/2016
Al-Qa’ida in the Indian Subcontinent
HAMAS
8/17/2017
Hizbul Mujahideen (HM)
Harakat ul-Mujahidin (HUM)
2/28/2018
ISIS-Bangladesh
Hizballah
2/28/2018
ISIS-Philippines
Kahane Chai (Kach)
2/28/2018
ISIS-West Africa
Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) (Kongra-Gel)
5/23/2018
ISIS-Greater Sahara
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
7/11/2018
Al-Ashtar Brigades (AAB)
National Liberation Army (ELN)
9/6/2018
Jama’at Nusrat Al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM)
Palestine Liberation Front (PLF)
4/15/2019
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)
1/10/2020
Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH)
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
1/14/2021
Harakat Sawa’d Misr (HASM)
(PFLF)
1/11/2021
ISIS-DRC
PFLP-General Command (PFLP-GC)
1/11/2021
ISIS-Mozambique
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)
12/1/2021
Segunda Marquetalia
Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front
12/1/2021
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia –
(DHKP/C)
People’s Army (FARC-EP)
Shining Path (SL)
10/8/1999
al-Qa’ida (AQ)
Delisted FTOs
9/25/2000
Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU)
Date Originally Designated • Date Removed
5/16/2001
Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA)
10/8/1999 • 10/8/1997
Democratic Front for the Liberation
12/26/2001 Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM)
of Palestine -Hawatmeh Faction
Lashkar-e Tayyiba (LeT)
Khmer Rouge
3/27/2002
Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade (AAMB)
Manuel Rodriguez Patriotic Front
Asbat al-Ansar (AAA)
Dissidents
al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)
10/8/2001 • 10/8/1997
Japanese Red Army
8/9/2002
Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s
Tupac Amaru Revolution Movement
Army (CPP/NPA)
10/8/1997 • 5/18/2009
Revolutionary Nuclei
10/23/2002 Jemaah Islamiya (JI)
1/30/2003
Lashkar i Jhangvi (LJ)
10/8/1997 • 10/15/2010 Armed Islamic Group (GIA)
3/22/2004
Ansar al-Islam (AAI)
10/8/1997 • 9/28/2012
Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization
7/13/2004
Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA)
(MEK)
12/17/2004 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (formerly al-
10/11/2005 • 5/28/2013 Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group
Qa'ida in Iraq)
(GICM)
6/17/2005
Islamic Jihad Union (IJU)
9/10/2001 • 7/15/2014
United Self Defense Forces of
3/5/2008
Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami/Bangladesh (HUJI-B)
Colombia
3/18/2008
al-Shabaab
10/8/1997 • 9/3/2015
Revolutionary Organization 17
5/18/2009
Revolutionary Struggle (RS)
November (17N)
7/2/2009
Kata'ib Hizballah (KH)
12/17/2004 • 12/9/2015 Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG)
1/19/2010
al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
8/6/2010
Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami (HUJI)
10/8/1997 • 6/1/2017
Abu Nidal Organization (ANO)
9/1/2010
Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
1/19/2021 • 2/16/2021
Ansarallah
11/4/2010
Jundallah
10/8/1997 • 12/1/2021
Revolutionary Armed Forces of
5/23/2011
Army of Islam (AOI)
Colombia (FARC)
9/19/2011
Indian Mujahedeen (IM)
10/8/1997 • 5/20/2022
Aum Shinrikyo (AUM)
3/13/2012
Jemaah Anshorut Tauhid (JAT)
10/8/1997 • 5/20/2022
Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA)
5/30/2012
Abdallah Azzam Brigades (AAB)
10/8/1997 • 5/20/2022
Gama’a al-Islamiyya (Islamic Group –
9/19/2012
Haqqani Network (HQN)
IG)
3/22/2013
Ansar al-Dine (AAD)
10/8/1997 • 5/20/2022
Kahane Chai (Kach)
11/14/2013 Boko Haram
8/20/2014 • 5/20/2022
Mujahidin Shura Council in the
Ansaru
Environs of Jerusalem (MSC)
12/19/2013 al-Mulathamun Battalion
1/13/2014
Ansar al-Shari'a in Benghazi
Ansar al-Shari'a in Darnah
John W. Rollins, Specialist in Terrorism and National
Ansar al-Shari'a in Tunisia
Security
4/10/2014
ISIL Sinai Province (formally Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis)
5/15/2014
al-Nusrah Front
IF10613
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO)
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10613 · VERSION 4 · UPDATED