UN Terror List Update: Al-Qaida/Taliban Sanctions Compliance
Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/113 · issued 13 Jul 2010 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI mandates banks to update and screen against the UNSC 1267/1822 consolidated list of terrorist individuals/entities linked to Al-Qaida and Taliban, covering new accounts and existing accounts, with freezing actions per UAPA Order.
Sanctions-list safety note. This circular refers to a specific UN Security Council / UAPA designated-entities list update as it stood on the date above — sanctions lists change often, and a newer update almost certainly exists today. Never use this page, or any single dated circular, as your current screening list. Always screen against the live, current list at the official UAPA proscribed-organisations list and the UN Consolidated List, and confirm the obligations for your bank on the official rbi.org.in source below.
The rule, in the simplest words
Banks must update their computer systems with the newest UN list of bad people and groups linked to Al-Qaida and Taliban.
Before opening any new account, banks must check the customer's name against this list to make sure they are not a listed bad person.
Banks must also check all existing accounts to see if any belong to or are linked to anyone on the list.
If a match is found, banks must freeze the account's money and assets, following the government's rules from a 2009 order.
The bank's compliance officer must say they got this rule and will follow it.
How it plays out — a real example
A KYC & compliance officer in Indore is opening a new account for a customer. She first checks the customer's name against the updated UN list on her computer. The name does not appear, so she can safely open the account. Later, she also runs a check on all old accounts and finds one linked to a listed person, so she immediately freezes that account's funds as per the government order.
What changed
RBI received a July 12, 2010 note from the UN 1267 Committee with changes to the consolidated list of individuals/entities linked to Al-Qaida and Taliban. Banks must update their records with this latest list and ensure compliance with the UAPA Order dated August 27, 2009.
What it means for you
Banks must immediately update their internal screening systems with the revised UN consolidated list and verify all new and existing accounts for matches. Failure to comply could lead to regulatory action and reputational risk, as the directive mandates strict adherence to government orders on freezing assets.
What you must do
Update the consolidated list of terrorist individuals/entities from the UN website and circulate it to all branches.
Screen all new account applications against the updated list before opening accounts.
Scan all existing accounts to identify any linked to listed individuals/entities.
Freeze funds, financial assets, or economic resources of designated entities as per paragraph 6 of the September 17, 2009 circular.
Ensure the Compliance Officer/Principal Officer acknowledges receipt of this circular.
Who it affects
All Scheduled Commercial Banks (excluding RRBs), Local Area Banks, All India Financial Institutions
❓ Common questions
What is the source of the updated list?
The list is the UN Security Council's 1267 Committee consolidated list of individuals and entities linked to Al-Qaida and Taliban, available on the UN website.
What actions are required for existing accounts?
Banks must scan all existing accounts to ensure no account is held by or linked to any entity or individual on the updated list, and freeze assets as per the UAPA Order.
Who must acknowledge receipt of this circular?
The Compliance Officer or Principal Officer of the bank or financial institution must acknowledge receipt.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2010-11/113
DBOD. AML.No.813/14.06.072/2010-11
July 13, 2010
The Chairmen / CEOs of all Scheduled Commercial Banks (Excluding RRBs)/
Local Area Banks / All India Financial Institutions
Dear Sir,
List of Terrorist Individuals/ Organisations under UNSCR 1267(1999) and
1822(2008) on Taliban/Al-Qaida Organisation
Please refer to our circular letter DBOD. AML.No.22137/14.06.071/2009-10 dated June 28, 2010 . We have since received from Government of India (Ministry of External Affairs) copy of note dated July 12, 2010 (copy enclosed) forwarded by the Chairman of UN Security Council's 1267 Committee regarding changes made in the Consolidated List of Individuals and entities linked to Al-Qaida and Taliban.
2. Banks/All India Financial Institutions are required to update the consolidated list of individuals/entities as circulated by Reserve Bank and before opening any new account, it should be ensured that the name/s of the proposed customer does not appear in the list. Further, banks should scan all existing accounts to ensure that no account is held by or linked to any of the entities or individuals included in the list.
3 . Banks are advised to strictly follow the procedure laid down in the UAPA Order dated August 27, 2009 enclosed to our circular DBOD.AML.BC. No. 44/14.01.001/2009-10 dated September 17, 2009 and ensure meticulous compliance to the Order issued by the Government.
4. As far as freezing of funds, financial assets or economic resources or related services held in the form of bank accounts of the designated individuals/entities are concerned, action should be taken as detailed in paragraph 6 of the circular dated September 17, 2009, mentioned above.
5. The complete details of the said consolidated list are available on the UN website:
http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/consolist.shtml
6. Compliance Officer/Principal Officer should acknowledge receipt of this circular letter.
Yours faithfully,
(Murli Radhakrishnan)
General Manager
Encl: As above
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/113 · issued 13 Jul 2010. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Update the consolidated list of terrorist individuals/entities from the UN website and circulate it to all branches.
💻 IT / Systems
Screen all new account applications against the updated list before opening accounts.
📜 Compliance
Scan all existing accounts to identify any linked to listed individuals/entities.
Freeze funds, financial assets, or economic resources of designated entities as per paragraph 6 of the September 17, 2009 circular.
Ensure the Compliance Officer/Principal Officer acknowledges receipt of this circular.
Grouped from the action items above — a single circular may involve more than one team.
Worked example & action-note template
Example: if you are a Branch Manager at a bank this circular applies to (All Scheduled Commercial Banks (excluding RRBs), Local Area Banks, All India Financial Institutions), your first concrete step on “UN Terror List Update: Al-Qaida/Taliban Sanctions Compliance” is: “Update the consolidated list of terrorist individuals/entities from the UN website and circulate it to all branches.” (RBI issued this 13 Jul 2010).
Circular: RBI/2010-11/113 -- UN Terror List Update: Al-Qaida/Taliban Sanctions Compliance
Issued: 13 Jul 2010
Action required: Update the consolidated list of terrorist individuals/entities from the UN website and circulate it to all branches.
Action required: Screen all new account applications against the updated list before opening accounts.
Action required: Scan all existing accounts to identify any linked to listed individuals/entities.
Action required: Freeze funds, financial assets, or economic resources of designated entities as per paragraph 6 of the September 17, 2009 circular.
Action required: Ensure the Compliance Officer/Principal Officer acknowledges receipt of this circular.
Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
Evidence filed in compliance register on: ____________
Built only from this circular’s own published fields — not legal advice; always confirm against the official RBI source.
💬 Banker Discussion
Discuss this circular with fellow bankers — reply, upvote what helps, report what doesn’t belong. Be professional; no client data. Views are the commenter’s own, not BankPulse’s.
BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 03 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly). Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=5874&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
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