Yemen monitor/Sana’a/private
The United States has imposed sanctions on entities and individuals involved in a network stretching across the Horn of Africa and the United Arab Emirates that raises and launders money for the Somali-based al-Shabaab terrorist group.
The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said on Monday that it had designated “16 entities and individuals who form an extensive business network operating across the Horn of Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and Cyprus that facilitates fundraising and money laundering for al-Shabaab a terrorist group affiliated with al-Qa’ida.”
The Individuals within this network include influential businesspeople in the region that lend financial backing to al-Shabaab, a terrorist group responsible for some of the worst terrorist attacks in East Africa’s modern history. These attacks have killed thousands of innocent civilians.
Haleel Commodities L.L.C., also known as Haleel Group, is a key financial facilitator for al-Shabaab. The group relies on Khalil Group leaders, as well as its branches and subsidiaries in Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, and Cyprus, to generate and launder funds.
Qemat Al Najah General Trading company based in the UAE, served as a key money laundering node for the network, and assisted in managing and transferring funds for al-Shabaab in connection with the Khalil Group.
Faysal Yusuf Dini (Dini) , based in Kenya,
is a financial facilitator for al-Shabaab and leverages the Khalil Group and some of its leadership to move money on behalf of al-Shabaab. He also works closely with Mohamed Jamal Ali Awali, based in Kenya, to plan investment projects and money laundering activities.
