U.S. blacklists Saudi man for leading Islamic State affiliate

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday blacklisted a Saudi man who it said was the Syria-based deputy leader of Islamic State's affiliate in Saudi Arabia, the State Department said in a statement. Mubarak Mohammed A Alotaibi, a 31-year-old Saudi citizen, was named a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist," the State Department said. The action freezes any assets he might have in the United States, and Americans are not allowed to deal with him. (Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)