According to documents in the possession of GNN, from the UN Security Council Committee on Liberia with reference SC/11229, said Mr. Benoni Wilfred Urey was de-listed from all sanctions including asserts freeze list, and further noted that measures that warrant such sanctions to be imposed on Mr. Urey is no longer apply.
In a communication to the focal point for de-listing of the Security Council Subsidiary Organs Branch in New York, and by Alan W. White, former Chief of Investigation, dated on October 12, 2009 with reference: De-listing request for Mr. Benoni Urey, former Commissioner of the Bureau of Maritime Affairs and associate of former Liberia President Charles Taylor, the Alan W. White letter outlined.
According to the communication written by Alan White said, on 16 March 2004, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1521 (2003) concerning Liberia approved a list of individuals, one of which was Mr. Benoni Urey subjected to the travel restriction imposed by paragraph 4 (a) of resolution 1521 (2003). Those measures were subsequently renewed by paragraph 1 (a) of resolution 1579 (20040, the Alan White communication noted.
“During July 2002-July 2005, I served as the Chief Investigation for the United Nations backed Special Court for Sierra Leone, I was involved in the investigation of those subsequently indicted for war crimes for those who bore the greatest responsibility for the conflict in Sierra Leone. As a result, my investigation concluded that Charles Taylor was the principal architect of the conflict and was supported by many of his former staff”, Alan White’s letter communication continues.
“I had the benefit of working in the region and investigating the conflict in both Sierra Leone and Liberia. Although Mr. Urey served as the former Commissioner of the Bureau of Maritime Affairs under the Taylor administration, my investigation did not disclose any evidence that supported Mr. Urey was an individual that was actively engaged of responsible for the civil war in Sierra Leone”, White’s communication went on.
Concluding in his communication to the Security Council, White said, “In consultation with the government of Liberia it is my opinion that Mr. Urey is not involved in any activities that would undermine the peace and stability or pose a threat to Liberia if allowed to travel. As a result, I would recommend your consideration in de-listing Mr. Urey from the UN Travel Ban List”, the communication signed by Alan White noted.
As a result of White’s communication to the United Nations Security Council, on December 23, 2016 the United Nations Security Council Committee de-listed Mr. Urey from\ the Resolution 1521 (2003) travel ban list and the Resolution 1532 (2004) assets freeze list based on the assessment of the Panel of Experts.
Following the United Nations, the United States Government imposed asset freeze against individuals associated with the former Liberian leader (Charles Taylor) in July 2004 by Executive Order 13348. Mr. Urey was designated as an individual subject to the asset freeze in the Annex to Executive Order 13348. According to the document in the possession of the GNN, the Executive Order was codified at 31 C.F.R Section 593. The asset freeze over Mr. Urey was effective as of July, 2004. Mr. Urey was added to Office of Foreign Assets Control or OFAC’s Specially Designated Nations list on July 23, 2004.
Mr. Urey called for the United States to lift its sanctions on him following the decisions by the United Nations and the European Union, saying, “The Treasury list was created as a result of a UN-imposed sanctions on us and the U.N. has lifted these sanctions and other international organizations – the EU has lifted sanctions on me . . . so we hope the United States will do that soon.”
The United States’ Liberia sanctions program ended on November 12, 2015 with the issuance of Executive Order 13710, Mr. Urey was removed from the OFAC SDN list on the same day.
With all of these facts been spelled out by the United Nations and the United States to de-list Benoni W. Urey from all sanctions, the public must be informed that the negative propaganda been circulated in the media that Urey is still been sanctioned has explained itself through this report and documents in the possession of this outlet.
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