Arab States Add 18 more Groups, People to Terror Lists in Qatar Row

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Four Arab countries have added to their "terrorist" list 18 more groups and individuals who they say are linked to Qatar, Saudi state news agency SPA reported Tuesday, further escalating a regional row with Doha.

The lists now include three Yemeni charities, three Libyan media outlets, two armed groups and a religious foundation, some of which are already subject to U.S. sanctions.

"The terrorist activities of the aforementioned entities and individuals have direct and indirect ties with the Qatari authorities," a statement issued by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain said.

The four states cut ties with Qatar — a major global gas supplier and host to the biggest U.S. military base in the Middle East — on June 5, accusing it of financing militant groups in Syria, and allying with Iran, their regional foe.

The row erupted following remarks attributed to Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in which he was quoted as praising Gaza's ruling Islamist Hamas movement and calling Iran an "Islamic power" on May 23. Qatar said the emir did not make the remarks and that the agency's website had been hacked.

Qatar has not yet commented on Tuesday's updated list, but last month it denied the allegations and dismissed charges of support for Islamist militancy, calling them "baseless allegations that hold no foundation in fact."

Qatar's foreign minister, in comments to Doha-based channel Al Jazeera late Tuesday, did not directly refer to the new list but criticized the four countries for actions that he said were undermining mediation efforts backed by the United States.