US blacklists Fatah al-Islam of Lebanon

WASHINGTON: The US has blacklisted Lebanon based Fatah al-Islam militant group as an "international terrorist organisation".

"As part of its ongoing efforts against terrorism, US has named Fatah al-Islam as a designated global terrorist group under American law," the State Department said in a statement on Monday.

"This terrorist group threatens the safety and security of the Lebanese people and the region."

According to the declaration, the assets of the group in US jurisdictions will be frozen and its members will be barred from the US soil.

It also makes illegal for US citizens or those subject to American laws to provide the group with "material support or resources".

Fatah al-Islam emerged in November 2006, announcing a plan to "fight Zionism and Americanised governments" in coordination with the global terror network of Al Qaeda.

The group claimed responsibility this year for twin bus bombings in the eastern Beirut area of Ain Alaq. Estimates of the group's size range from several hundred to several thousand.