The US has moved to deny financing to a Palestinian group accused of kidnapping New Zealand journalist Olaf Wiig in 2006.
The group, the Gaza-based Army of Islam (AOI), was blamed for taking Wiig hostage while he was working for Fox News in the Gaza Strip in August 2006.
He and fellow hostage, newsman Steve Centanni, were released after 13 days in captivity.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has designated the group a foreign terrorist organisation.
The State Department says it's been implicated in attacks against the Israeli and Egyptian governments.
In line with the designation, it said, US citizens are banned from providing material support or resources to AOI.
The move also freezes all US-related assets of the group.
The group was also blamed for rocket attacks on Israel, the 2006 kidnapping in Gaza of an American and the 2007 kidnapping in Gaza of BBC journalist Alan Johnston of Britain.
- AFP
US denies funding to Kiwi kidnap group
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