US designates three Muslim Brotherhood chapters as global terrorists

The United States on Tuesday designated the Egyptian, Lebanese and Jordanian branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as global terrorists, citing in part what it called their support for Palestinian militant group Hamas.

The move, which Washington formally set in motion last November, will bring sanctions against one of the Arab world's oldest and most influential Islamist movements.

The Treasury said it was labeling the three chapters as specially designated global terrorists. It has accused the trio of supporting or encouraging violent attacks against Israel and U.S. partners.

"Chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood purport to be legitimate civic organizations while, behind the scenes, they explicitly and enthusiastically support terrorist groups like Hamas," the Treasury Department said in a statement.

Egypt's foreign ministry welcomed the move, describing it as a "crucial step that reflects the gravity of the group and its extremist ideology and what it represents as a direct threat of regional and international security and stability".

The Muslim Brotherhood won Egypt's first free presidential election in 2012, but was overthrown by the military a year later after mass protests against its rule and has endured a fierce crackdown by authorities since then.