The US Department of State announced on its official site it has designated a top rank member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) as a terrorist.
“The Department of State has designated Ziyad al-Nakhalah as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism”, the statement said. The US D of S accused Ziyad al-Nakhalah of having tight relation with Iranian regime as the world state of terrorism and added “PIJ receives financial assistance and training primarily from Iran… Ziyad has also cultivated strong relations with the Government of Iran, the world’s primary State Sponsor of Terrorism. In 2012, Ziyad emphasized the importance of expanding and improving.”