House passes bill imposing financial sanctions on Hizballah

The US House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to impose sanctions on bodies that knowingly conduct financial transactions with Hizballah. "We need to send a clear message to companies getting tangled up with this terrorist group," said Rep. Eliot Engel, a Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "And that message is: Walk away, or face the consequences of the United States of America." Last month, the Senate approved legislation to block Hizballah access to international banks, credit companies, clearing houses and other financial organizations.