Biden Eyes Delisting Al-Qaeda-Linked Group and Lifting Leader’s $10M Bounty

President Joe Biden is reportedly considering removing Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamic terrorist group with deep ties to Al-Qaeda, from the U.S. Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) list. This alarming move follows the group’s role in overthrowing Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. The decision could provide HTS with access to international aid and diplomatic legitimacy, further destabilizing an already volatile region.

• HTS, born out of Al-Qaeda, is notorious for its history of terrorism and remains closely aligned with extremist ideologies. Removing the FTO designation would legitimize the group, enabling foreign governments to support it openly.

• The Biden administration is reportedly considering lifting the $10 million bounty on HTS leader Abu Muhammad Jawlani, a terrorist with a well-documented history of violence.

Retired General Frank McKenzie, former CENTCOM commander, criticized the move in a recent interview, saying, “Jawlani has a significant track record” of terrorism. McKenzie dismissed the notion that groups like HTS can reform, warning, “It’s been my experience that typically they don’t.”

This isn’t the first time the Biden administration has softened its stance on extremist groups. Early in his presidency, Biden removed the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen from the terror list. Since then, the Houthis have escalated attacks across the Arabian Peninsula, targeting civilian and naval vessels with missiles and drones.

The potential removal of HTS from the FTO list could pave the way for similar consequences:

• Increased Terrorism: HTS could use new resources to consolidate power and spread extremism across Syria and beyond.

• Regional Instability: The collapse of Assad’s regime leaves a power vacuum that could be filled by groups even more dangerous than Assad’s dictatorship.

• Threats to U.S. Security: Empowering HTS undermines U.S. counterterrorism efforts and emboldens groups hostile to American interests.

While the fall of Assad’s regime weakens adversaries like Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah, it creates new uncertainties for Syria’s future. “We could have an Islamic State arise there, which will have profound negative implications across the region,” McKenzie warned.

The Biden administration’s history of poorly calculated foreign policy decisions continues to endanger global stability. Removing HTS from the FTO list would mark yet another failure to prioritize national and international security over misguided political agendas.

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