Al-Shabaab spokesman among five extremists added to US global terror list
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Staff reporter GAROWE ONLINE
- Posted On 07-08-2021, 07:53AM
WASHINGTON, US - The State Department has designated five Jihadists from Africa, in the latest move meant to counter global terrorism, which is fast taking roots in Africa, a continent that had previously been peaceful from such activities.
In a statement, the US said it has designated Ali Mohamed Rage “Ali Dhere”, and Abdikadir Mohamed Abdikadir “Ikrima” as global terrorists. The US says Ali Dhere has been involved in attack planning in Kenya and Somalia, while Ikrima served as Head of Operations and Logistics.
"Ali Mohamed Rage, also known as Ali Dheere, is al-Shabaab’s spokesman and a senior leader of the group. He replaced Sheikh Mukhtar Robow, al-Shabaab’s top spokesman in May 2009. Rage has been involved in attack planning that has targeted areas in Kenya and Somalia," the US said.
Robow is now on NISA house arrest after he was barred from running for Southwest state presidency in December 2018 by the Somali government.
"Abdikadir Mohamed Abdikadir, also known as Ikrima, is a facilitator and operational planner. As of November 2019, Abdikadir was an al-Shabaab senior leader and served as the Head of Operations and Logistics. Abdikadir had also directed previous attack planning for al-Shabaab," it added.
As a result of Friday's actions, among other consequences, all property and interests in property of these individuals must be blocked and reported to the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control [OFAC], the statement read.
In addition, persons that engage in certain transactions with the persons designated may themselves be exposed to the designation. The two were some of the senior-most Al-Shabaab leaders in Somalia.
"Furthermore, any foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates a significant financial transaction or provides significant financial services for the persons designated today could be subject to U.S. correspondent account or payable-through account sanctions," State Department noted..
Others who were designated include Bonomade Machude Omar, the senior military commander of Islamic State's affiliate in Mozambique, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. Omar led a group of extremists who killed dozens of people in an attack on the Amarula Hotel in the town of Palma in March, Blinken said.
He also is responsible for attacks elsewhere in Mozambique and in Tanzania, Blinken said. Sidang Hitta and Salem Ould al-Hasan, senior leaders of Mali-based al Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, were designated.
Al-Shabaab has been terrorizing innocent civilians, security forces, and senior government officials in Somalia and across the border. Another group that identifies itself as Al-Shabaab has been punishing residents of Cabo Delgado in Mozambique.
GAROWE ONLINE
