Over the last few months this site has dedicated a lot of attention to Ahmed Idris Nasreddine, the wealthy Eritrean businessman whom the US have repeatedly accused of financing various terrorist groups through a network of companies and banks. In the past, sanctions against Nasreddine have been ineffective and, as this site reported, the financier still controlled a posh hotel in Milan, Hotel Nasco. Things are finally changing. A few days ago the UN officially put the Hotel Nasco on its list. It is today?s news that Italian authorities have seized all assets (90,000 Euros) of the Moroccan company (Sempione srl) that controlled the hotel.

Sempione srl allowed Nasreddine?s daughter, Yasmine, to manage the hotel until a few days ago. A special task force of the Italian Finance Ministry is also investigating other activities of the businessman in the country. The actions are an encouraging sign in the fight against terrorism financier, as Nasreddine, along with his business partner Youssouf Nada, has always managed to keep control of most of his assets and activities despite the 2001 designation.

http://counterterrorismblog.org/2005/09/major_terrorism_financiers_hot.php