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Al-Shabaab evades monitoring by using civilian bank accounts, says Somalia president
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    Saturday July 13, 2024



    Mogadishu (HOL) — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia has said that Al-Shabaab is attempting to evade financial monitoring by using civilian accounts for their transactions.

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    Mohamud said Al-Shabaab has started using accounts belonging to group members' relatives to collect taxes from businesses. "One of the deceptive tactics used by an Al-Shabaab member is to approach a close relative who does not suspect them, encouraging them to open a mobile bank account. The account holder has no clue about how the account will be used," he explained.

    The president also noted that Somalia's communication monitoring system enables security forces to identify any civilian in contact with blacklisted individuals connected to Al-Shabaab. The National Intelligence and Security Agency of Somalia (NISA) has been gathering information on the phones used by Al-Shabaab, which businesses use to pay the taxes collected by the group. With the help of a major Western intelligence agency, NISA has been able to identify phone numbers and bank account details of blacklisted individuals to enhance the monitoring of their financial movements.

    The Somali government has been actively targeting Al-Shabaab's financial networks. Efforts such as blocking the group's income sources, which reportedly reduced their funds by half, and seizing hundreds of bank accounts linked to Al-Shabaab have been implemented.   In a high-profile case in May, a Mogadishu court sentenced a 70-year-old man to seven years in prison for financing Al-Shabaab.

    The development comes on the heels of Mohamud's recent declaration that severe penalties will be imposed on anyone communicating with Al-Shabaab members, even if they are relatives. "No one can contact a Shabaab member; it's a crime. Know this: if someone is found to have called or made contact with a Shabaab member, they will face a court trial. This is not a secret; everyone should be aware," he stated, adding that ignorance will no longer be an excuse.

    The directive is part of a broader strategy to weaken Al-Shabaab's influence and operational capabilities. 

     





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