To date, the Coalition Against Terrorist Media has been instrumental in removing al-Manar from
eight satellite providers. However, there is much more that needs to take it off the global airwaves. The following steps will help eliminate its threat: 1)
The U.S. Government should name al-Manar a Specially Designated Global Terrorist organization. Owned and operated by Hezbollah, al-Manar should be subject to the same restrictions as its parent. Adding al-Manar to this Treasury Department list would allow sanctions to be placed on any U.S. or foreign company doing business with al-Manar and would help limit al-Manar’s ability to broadcast hate and incitement to violence. In July,
51 U.S. Senators wrote to President Bush asking that he name al-Manar to the SDGT list. 2)
The U.S. government should encourage foreign satellite packages—and the governments that allow these companies to operate—to remove al-Manar from their networks. Although seven satellite providers have dropped al-Manar, two continue to broadcast it to the Middle East, Europe, and North Africa:
ARABSAT, owned by the government of Saudi Arabia, and
Nilesat, whose major shareholder is the government of Egypt. Egypt should remove al-Manar from satellite providers. The United States should work with both countries to remove al-Manar from broadcast. 3)
The United States should enforce existing laws banning U.S. citizens and companies from working with al-Manar. Executive Order 12947 specifically prohibits Americans from engaging in transactions with Hezbollah. This should apply to al-Manar's Washington correspondent and any other al-Manar employees working in the United States.