The U.S. Treasury’s high terrorism financing official mentioned on Thursday he had mentioned with Turkish authorities officers his deep considerations about Palestinian militant group Hamas elevating funds in Turkey and doubtlessly breaking native legal guidelines.

Turkey is “prominent” in Hamas fundraising schemes and the group is prone to make the most of that because it seeks more money amid its struggle with Israel, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson mentioned.

“We are profoundly concerned with Hamas’s ability to continue to fund raise and find financial support (here in Turkey) for potential future terrorist attacks,” Nelson advised reporters in Istanbul between conferences with Turkish authorities officers and monetary and enterprise teams.

Turkey’s international ministry was not instantly out there to remark.

Unlike most of its Western allies and a few Gulf states, Turkey doesn’t view Hamas as a terrorist group and hosts a few of its members.

President Tayyip Erdogan has known as Hamas “freedom fighters” and criticised Israel as a “terror state” over its bombardment of Gaza in current weeks.

The United States, Israel’s closest ally, has sanctioned a number of Turkish entities and people in its effort to curb funding for Hamas following its Oct. 7 assault on Israel.

Nelson mentioned Turkey was linked to Hamas’ previous efforts to boost funds from donors, funding portfolios, charities and non-profit organisations.

Even if Turkey sees Hamas as reliable, he mentioned the group may nonetheless violate home legal guidelines, although he gave no particular instance of this taking place.

“There is sufficient opportunity for Turkey to address this problem under its own domestic legal authorities irrespective of U.S. sanctions,” he mentioned.

Nelson mentioned Turkish officers had reminded him that Hamas was not a delegated terrorist organisation within the nation but in addition that Turkey wouldn’t tolerate violations of home legal guidelines together with cash laundering and direct funding of violent acts.

Washington says a Hamas portfolio of investments, estimated to be price a whole lot of tens of millions of {dollars}, contains corporations working in Turkey, Sudan, Algeria, the United Arab Emirates and elsewhere.

Nelson additionally raised the prospect of extra U.S. sanctions on Turkish entities suspected of serving to Russia evade sanctions by transiting items together with chips, semiconductors and different parts utilized in its struggle in Ukraine.

In the final 18-24 months, there was a six-fold improve within the transit by way of Turkey of “high-priority dual-use” parts to Russia, Nelson mentioned. “Too many” Russian ships and planes had been being serviced in Turkish ports and airports, he added.

“We’re not getting the results that we want…in the context of (Turkey’s) very sincere expressions of support for Ukraine,” he mentioned.

Turkey says sanctions is not going to be circumvented on its soil and that nothing transiting is utilized in Russia’s struggle effort.

Ankara has advised Washington to offer proof of its claims given it opposes the sanctions on precept, and maintains good ties with each Moscow and Kyiv even because it condemns the invasion.

Turkish monetary, delivery and air-transit sectors can count on Washington to stay aggressive because it makes use of “all of our authorities as creatively as possible to get at this challenge”, Nelson mentioned.

Russia invaded Ukraine final yr and the struggle grinds on alongside largely secure strains.