Biden administration draws outrage over decision to grant US visa to Bashar al-Assad's cousin
October 28, 2021, 10:30 am

Biden administration draws outrage over decision to grant US visa to Bashar al-Assad's cousin

Ali Makhlouf/Facebook

The Washington Free Beacon reported that the Biden administration’s decision to grant the cousin of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad a U.S. visa is drawing outrage on Capitol Hill and generating concerns the United States seeks to normalize relations with Assad and unwind sanctions on his embattled government.

It said that Ali Makhlouf, the son of U.S.-sanctioned Syrian business tycoon Rami Makhlouf and Assad’s cousin, was seen in Los Angeles earlier this month driving a $300,000 Ferrari.

Makhlouf appearance raised questions about how he was able to obtain a U.S. visa, given his father’s presence on the U.S. sanctions list and close relationship with Assad, who is also heavily sanctioned for the mass killing of Syrian citizens in the nation’s 10-year-old civil war.

According to the Washington Free Beacon, the State Department ignored the newspaper‘s requests for comment on Makhlouf’s visa before declining to comment on the matter altogether.

USA-New York-Flag of USA-Manhattan/Pixabay

Republican lawmakers who spoke to the Free Beacon said Makhlouf’s trip to the United States signals a softening in the U.S. stance toward Assad, which has hitherto consisted of sanctions on his regime and efforts to isolate the embattled dictator. Makhlouf obtained a U.S. visa around the time the Biden administration began considering a push to unwind sanctions on Assad in order to facilitate an energy deal with Hezbollah-controlled Lebanon. Republican foreign policy leaders are also pressing the Biden administration for information and say they will not allow the United States to normalize relations with Assad as he commits mass human rights abuses.

Rep. Joe Wilson (R., S.C.), a member of the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees, told the Free Beacon: "The image of Ali Makhlouf, cousin of brutal Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, driving a $300,000 Ferrari on the streets of L.A., is disgusting. Ali’s father Rami, who runs a network of shell companies that finance the murder, torture, and forced displacement perpetrated against the Syrian people by the Assad regime, appears on multiple U.S. sanctions lists."

He said: This egregious display underscores the need to enforce U.S. sanctions and expand them to include the extended family members of the Assad regime. Congress has the right to know how this man got into the United States."

The Washington Free Beacon mentioned that Makhlouf, who was caught on video in his Ferrari 488 Spider, told a popular YouTube channel that he is in the United States "doing an internship." His father, a billionaire mogul, is a close Assad ally and is sanctioned by the United States for helping the regime evade sanctions to import oil that helped fuel Assad’s war machine.

Rep. Yvette Herrell (R., N.M.), a member of the Republican Study Committee, which has championed U.S. sanctions on Assad, told the Free Beacon that Makhlouf’s visa points to serious flaws in the State Department’s vetting process.

Herrell said: "If the cousin of a brutal dictator and the son of one of the most corrupt and brutal warlords in the world is a U.S. visa holder, it points to extreme flaws in our vetting process and should be a cause for grave concern given the recent influx of over 100,000 Afghan nationals."

He added: "If he is a citizen, we need to address serious problems in our naturalization laws. The Republican Study Committee has long urged Congress to adopt an immigration system that protects Americans and puts America first. But when cartels run rampant on our southern border and Assad’s cousins can jet around in Ferrari’s, it’s clear that the Biden administration has no interest fixing a dangerously broken system."

The Washington Free Beacon explained that Makhlouf’s stay in the United States comes as the Biden administration works to normalize Assad’s regime, marking a significant shift in U.S. policy for the last decade. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed earlier this month that the Biden administration is fine with Arab nations reestablishing ties with Assad.

Senior Biden administration diplomats are also working to unwind sanctions on Syria so that it can help export energy to Lebanon, a move that will require the administration to waive portions of the bipartisan Caesar Act, one of the pieces of legislation that authorized sanctions on Assad’s regime.

David Adesnik, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, following Blinken’s statement wrote: "This reversal marks an important gain for Assad and for his sponsors in Moscow and Tehran, who have struggled to restore the regime’s legitimacy despite overcoming all military threats to Assad’s hold on power."

Source: freebeacon

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.