US sanctions Crown Bus, associates over Al Shabaab financing

Source: Capital FM Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 12 - The United States Treasury has sanctioned Crown Bus Services and two Kenyans for financing the Al Shabaab militia.

The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced Monday the sanctions would target sixteen entities red-flagged over money laundering and funding of the terrorist group.

OFAC named Kenya-based Faysal Yusuf Dini (Dini), working closely with Mohamed Jumale Ali Awale (Awale), as an al-Shabaab financial facilitator leveraging Haleel Group and some of its leadership to transfer funds on behalf of al-Shabaab.

The sixteen, OFAC said, are part of an expansive business network spanning the Horn of Africa, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Cyprus that raises and launders funds for the al-Qa'ida-affiliated terrorist formation.

"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," OFAC stated.

The designation of the individuals and entities under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended, seeks to cut off financial flow to the terror organization.

"The United States is committed to working with regional partners to root out terror financing networks and the entities they abuse to raise and move funds," Brian Nelson, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said.

"Today's action is part of a multifaceted effort by Treasury to support the Somali government's economic offensive against al-Shabaab -- one of three pillars in their campaign to degrade this deadly terrorist group."

US Treasury's projections put Al-Shabaab annual revenue, largely from extortion and financial support from businesspeople, at USD100 million.

The proceeds party finances other al-Qa'ida-supported groups worldwide.