US freezes assets of three Kenyans over Shabaab links
Aboud Rogo Mohammed (left) and Omar Awadh Omar (right) are among three Kenyans whose assets have been frozen by the US over alleged links to Al Shabaab. FILE
By FRED MUKINDA fmukinda@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Friday, July 6 2012 at 08:35
Posted Friday, July 6 2012 at 08:35
The assets of three Kenyans listed in a United States Government report have been frozen over alleged links to Somalia militia Al-Shabaab.
Abubaker Shariff Ahmed, Omar Awadh Omar and Aboud Rogo Mohammed were blacklisted in an “executive order” signed by President Barack Obama.
The three have also featured in a most wanted Kenya Police list and have pending court cases.
At present, Mr Omar Awadh Omar is in a Ugandan jail after he was accused of being part of the July 2010 Kampala bombings in which 76 people were killed.
The other two were charged at the chief magistrates court in Milimani, Nairobi after they were accused of taking part in the Kampala coach grenade attack on River Road, Nairobi that killed three people in December 2010.
"That case has never taken off and they are only suspects," their lawyer, Mbugua Mureithi, told the Nationon the telephone.
“Mr Rogo Mohammed is also facing another charge at the Mombasa Law Courts where he is accused of being in possession of firearms. He is out on bail and the case is pending,” he said.
The others slapped with the US sanctions are two Eritrean government officials - Col Tewolde Negash and Col Taeme Goitom and Sudanese Suhayl Salim Muhammad Abd-el-Rahman. He also goes by the name Abu-Faris.
Threaten Somalia peace
The report describes the Sudan national as an "Al-Shabaab foreign fighter facilitator".
In issuing the order, President Obama said the individuals “engaged in acts that directly or indirectly threaten the peace, security or stability of Somalia".
“The United States is determined to target those who are responsible for the ongoing bloodshed and instability in Somalia,” said US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Director Adam J Szubin.
“By designating these individuals today we are taking action to support our partner governments in East Africa and the African Union Mission in Somalia in their efforts to dismantle Al-Shabaab,” he said.
President Obama issued the order in April 2010.
Bank accounts and real estate
It means the individuals cannot access their property in the US including bank accounts and real estate, among others.
The US report, in part, says of Mr Rogo Mohammed: “Offers guidance on how Kenyan recruits joining Al-Shabaab can evade detection by the Kenyan authorities, and which routes to follow when traveling from Mombasa, Kenya, and/or Lamu to Al-Shabaab strongholds in Somalia, notably Kismaayo. He has facilitated the travel to Somalia of numerous Kenyan recruits for Al-Shabaab.”
He is said to have six aliases.
As for Omar, said to use two aliases, the US report adds: “Has provided financial, material, logistical, or technical support for Al-Shabaab. Omar has facilitated funding to Al-Shabaab and is believed to have facilitated the movement of foreign fighters and supplies into Somalia.”
Mr Abubaker Shariff aka Makaburi is further described in the report as “a leading facilitator and recruiter of young Kenyan Muslims for “action” in Somalia, and a close associate of Aboud Rogo Mohammed.
"He provides material support to extremist groups in Kenya and elsewhere in East Africa. Through his frequent trips to Al-Shabaab strongholds in Somalia, including Kismaayo, he has been able to maintain strong ties with senior Al-Shabaab members.”
He is said to use two other aliases.
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