Qatar’s ruler has amended the country’s anti-terrorism laws in a royal decree issued on Thursday, state news agency QNA reported, in a move that appears aimed at countering charges the Gulf Arab state supports terrorism.
The move comes less than a week after Doha signed an accord with the United States to bolster measures aimed at curbing terrorism financing.
Qatar has been under pressure from four Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Egypt, over allegations it supports terrorism – a charge it denies.
QNA – citing a decree issued by the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani amending a 2004 anti-terrorism law – said the amendments set rules for defining terrorism, acts of terrorism, freezing funding, and terrorism financing.
It also creates two national terrorism lists and set rules for listing individuals and groups on each list.
Qatar has been struggling to dispel charges it supports terrorism since the four Arab countries imposed sanctions on it last month.
Last week, Qatar signed an accord with the United States that provided for measures to work together to fight terrorism financing.
Details of the accord had not been released but sources said it provides for the United States to post officials at Qatar’s state prosecutor’s office. (Reuters)
