Topics in Brief

• Author: International Law Group

U S. publishes interim guidance on how financial institutions should comply with USA PATRIOT Act

The U.S. Department of the Treasury, Departmental Offices (DEPO), has published an interim guidance on how to comply with the anti-money laundering provisions of Sections 313 and 319(b) of the "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism" (USA PATRIOT) Act of 2001 (Pub. L. 107-56) [see 31 U.S.C. 5318(j) & (k)]. Section 313(a) prohibits financial institutions from providing correspondent accounts for foreign "shell banks." Section 319(b) requires financial institutions for foreign bank correspondent accounts to maintain records of the foreign bank's owners and agents in the U.S.

Citation: 66 Federal Register 59342 (November 27, 2001).

U N. and Sierra Leone agree to set up war crimes tribunal

On January 16, 2002, the government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations entered into an agreement to create a special court to try persons accused of committing war crimes, crimes against humanity and other major breaches of international law during the government's ten-year war with the Revolutionary United Front (RUF). The court will be set up in Freetown, the capital city, and is expected to try about twenty persons from RUF, such as Foday Sankoh, the leader of the rebel group accused of killing or hacking off the limbs of thousands of civilians. The United States has contributed $5 million to finance the court's establishment and first year of operation. The day after the signing, government officials and RUF leaders had formally declared an end to the civil war and had witnessed the burning of weapons on a ceremonial bonfire. Since May 2001, more than 45,000 former members of the RUF, pro-government militias and other fighting groups had turned in these weapons to the U.N.

Citation: The New York Times, Jan. 17, 2002, Late Ed. - Final, Section A, Page 8, Column 4, Foreign Desk; January 19, 2002, Late Ed. - Final, Id. (Byline: Reuters); U. S. Dept. of State, Office of Spokesman, January 18, 2002, Statement by Lynn L. Cassel, Acting Spokeswoman, dospress@lists.state.gov.

U S. Department of State publishes list of reciprocating countries for family support obligations

The U.S. Department of State, Office of the Legal Advisor, has published the list of countries that have been declared reciprocating for the enforcement of family support (maintenance) obligations for U.S. residents. The countries are: Australia, the...