Somalia Targets al-Shabab’s Finances in Major Crackdown
(MENAFN) The Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) has issued a stark warning to citizens and businesses, urging them to immediately cease any financial interaction with the al-Shabab militant group. This announcement is part of an intensifying national campaign aimed at severing the terror organization’s access to both domestic and international financial systems.
In a statement released Sunday evening from Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, NISA stated it is actively tracking the financial flows and assets linked to extremist groups, particularly focusing on al-Shabab’s practice of forcing residents to pay a so-called "zakat"—a levy the agency classified as extortion.
"Anyone who pays zakat is guilty of terrorist financing crimes as stipulated in the laws of the country, and international regulations concerning the prevention and combating of terrorist financing," NISA declared.
The agency stressed that violators will be prosecuted under existing national laws and administrative mandates without delay.
"Businesspeople and citizens should know that providing funds to extremist groups is a serious criminal offense," the statement continued. "Security agencies urge the public to report any information or pressure related to such collections to the appropriate authorities without delay."
Al-Shabab has long depended on forced taxation, kidnappings, and extortion to bankroll its operations across Somalia.
This directive aligns with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s intensified anti-terrorism agenda. Since his election in May 2022, he has pledged a total war on al-Shabab, aiming not only to defeat the group militarily but to dismantle its financial and logistical infrastructure.
The warning comes just one day after Somalia’s National Committee for Combating Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism reported significant advancements in dismantling al-Shabab’s revenue mechanisms.
According to the committee, authorities have taken aggressive steps in the first half of the year: 575 mobile phone lines used for extortion and intimidation have been deactivated, 21 bank accounts tied to terror financing were frozen, and 88 merchant accounts—allegedly used to collect or launder extorted money—were shut down.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
