Following the U.S. Treasury Department's decision Wednesday to blacklist the Hizbullah-affiliated development and construction company Jihad Al-Binaa as a terrorist organization and to freeze whatever assets it might have in the U.S., the organization's head of renovation in Tyre, Hassan Fayyad, told the Lebanese Daily Star that the organization is "social and developmental" and has "no political activity whatsoever."

According to the Treasury's statement on Wednesday said "Hizbullah uses the construction firm to fulfill terrorist schemes, as well as to attract popular support through the provision of civilian construction services."

"Jihad al-Binaa bolsters Hizbullah's public standing by rebuilding war-torn areas," the U.S. Treasury statement said.

Stuart Levey, U.S. undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said Washington will take action "against all facets of this deadly terror group." He added that while acting against Jihad al-Binaa, the U.S. "is also working to ensure the legitimate reconstruction efforts led by the Lebanese.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Hizbullah said the U.S. is trying to stop the reconstruction of Lebanese areas damaged during last summer's war with Israel.

The head of Hizbullah's media unit, Hussein Rahhal, said the U.S. aim "is obviously the prohibition of construction," adding that the decision indicts the U.S. government because it is "targeting an institution that is concerned with civic development."

Fayyad said the U.S. allegations did not surprise him.

"The United States accuses everyone of being a terrorist," he said. "These accusations are only going to make us more determined to help our fellow Southerners," he added.

Source: The Daily Star, Lebanon, February 23, 2007