US blacklists Russian chess leader for ties to Assad

In an effort to financially squeeze Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the US imposed sanctions Wednesday on backers of the Syrian government, including a middleman accused of buying oil from the Islamic State (IS) group and the Russian head of the World Chess Federation.

“The Syrian government is responsible for widespread brutality and violence against its own people,” said Adam J Szubin, a senior Treasury official. “The United States will continue targeting the finances of all those enabling Assad to continue inflicting violence on the Syrian people.”

The middleman is known as George Haswani, and has been identified for "for oil purchases by the Syrian regime from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant".

Affluent businessman and president of the World Chess Federation (FIDE), Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, is also blacklisted for assisting Assad.

He was targeted "for materially assisting and acting for or on behalf of" the Syrian government and central bank, and the central bank chief Adib Mayleh and official Batoul Rida, the US department said.

Ilyumzhinov, a former president of the Russian Republic of Kalmykia who has headed FIDE since 1995, said the move was a "provocation" and that he would seek an explanation. 

In an interview on Russian state television, Ilyunzhinov said he would go to the US Treasury to "sort things out" in an upcoming visit to the United States.

In an email to the New York Times, Ilyumzhinov said: “I didn’t have any commercial relationship with Syria, and all of my connections with that country and many others are purely humanitarian. As head of the large sport federation, I use all opportunities I have with heads of state to promote chess.”

"There are no politics in chess," Ilyumzhinov told R-Sport news agency. "We lobby for our sport in all countries and speak with everyone."

The sanctions forbid US individuals or entities from doing any business with those on the blacklist. 

Haswani and his company, HESCO Engineering and Construction Company, were both targeted for allegedly helping to source oil from IS fighters.

"Haswani is a Syrian businessman who serves as a middleman for oil purchases by the Syrian regime from ISIL. HESCO is a Syrian engineering and construction company that operates energy production facilities in Syria, reportedly in areas controlled by ISIL," the Treasury Department said.

The European Union placed Haswani on its blacklist last March.

In announcing the sanctions, the Treasury Department highlighted "ongoing government of Syria ties to ISIL".

Oil revenues are a major source of finance for IS.

IS fighters have taken over expansive swaths of territory in Syria and Iraq and sold crude oil from seized refineries on the black market. The US announced on Monday that US warplanes had destroyed 283 fuel tankers that were being used to transport oil to help fund the group in eastern Syria.

A third individual targeted is Mudalal Khuri, who allegedly represents Syrian regime business and financial interests in Russia and who owns five of the designated entities.

Ilyumzhinov controls the Russian Financial Alliance Bank - one of the entities - along with Khuri. 

A fourth person designated was Nicos Nicolaou, a Cypriot national who allegedly works for a number of Khuri-linked companies. The remaining four entities are: Ezegoo Investments Ltd, Hudsotrade Limited, and Primax Business Consultants Limited, all registered in Cyprus; and Belize-based Kremsont Commercial Inc.