The U.S. State Department, Rewards for Justice is offering up-to $ million bounty reward for any valuable information on key leaders of Al-Shabaab overseeing complex financial networks in an effort of making sure the Al-Qaeda affiliated Al-Shabaab in Somalia receives finances to carryout out its heinous operation acts of terrorism. The department has updated the list of the most wanted terrorist figures including;
- Hassan Afgooye (Afgooye)
The Rewards for Justice is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information on Hassan Afgooye (popularly known as Afgooye). Afgooye is a key leader of Somalia’s terrorist group Al-Shabaab who is tasked in overseeing a complex financial network whose activities range from fake charities and fundraising to racketeering and kidnapping with an aim of raising funds to support the terror activities of the group that has been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). Afgooye thus is considered critical to Al-Shabaab’s continuing terror operations.
Intelligence reports indicate that as early as of 2021, Afgooye has been a high-ranking official in Al-Shabaab’s financial department, serving under another designated key leader of the group, Mahad Karate. Afgooye has risen through Al-Shabaab’s financial ranks. Previously he served as Al-Shabaab’s Chief of Finance. He has continued to serve in an influential leadership position within the group’s Finance Department and has been involved with Al-Shabaab’s overseas financial transactions. Afgooye has been reported to have managed Al-Shabaab’s financial relations with local and international companies, personally conducting negotiations on behalf of Al-Shabaab.
Thus, Afgooye has been designated in pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended for his support, involvement in aiding Al-Shabaab access financial material, or providing technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of the terrorist group, Al-Shabab.
- Abdikarim Hussein Gagaale
Abdikarim Hussein Gagaale (Gagaale) has also served within the ranks of Somalia’s Al-Shabaab. Gagaale has served as the Deputy within Al-Shabaab’s Financial Department under Mahad Karate. He also has been designated in pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended for his support, involvement in aiding Al-Shabaab access financial material, or providing technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of the terrorist group, Al-Shabab.
- Abdi Samad
Abdi Samad (Samad) is also a key Al-Shabaab figure who has designated with a reward offer of up-to $5 million for any valuable information on his whereabout. Intelligence reports indicate that Samad has been in close contact with Al-Shabaab’s senior Leadership Council. In 2010, intelligence reports further point out that, Al-Shabaab provided finances to see him through with his University Degree, including travel and tuition expenses.
- Abdullahi Jeeri
As of late 2021, Abdullahi Jeeri (Jeeri) has been involved in smuggling weapons for Al-Shabaab. Jeeri is Al-Shabaab’s head of weapons procurement and has acquired weapons for Al-Shabaab from both local markets and foreign suppliers, primarily in Yemen.
Jeeri has served as an interlocutor between Al-Shabaab and local businesses and has collected payments levied by the group. Jeeri is one of the serving members on the terrorist group’s leadership body, the Shura Council. He has also commanded a unit of Al-Shabaab fighters and has overseen the consolidation of weapons and vehicles from various groups for Al-Shabaab.
- Mohamed Mire
Mohamed Mire is another key Al-Shabaab leader designated by US State Department. Mire is a senior Al-Shabaab reported to be responsible for the terrorist group’s strategic decision-making. He leads Al-Shabaab’s interior wing overseeing many of the group’s activities in Somalia.
- Yasir Jiis
Yasir Jiis has also been designated a key Al-Shabaab leader. He is reported to be an Al-Shabaab leader and a resourceful commander of the armed wing, the Jabha which is tasked with conducting day-today armed attack operations.
- Yusuf Ahmed Hajji Nurow
Yusuf Ahmed Hajji Nurow alias Gees Ade is believed to be the current chief of Al-Shabaab’s intelligence wing, the Amniyaat. The terrorist wing is tasked key roles among them the execution of suicide attacks and assassinations in Somalia.
- Khalif Adale
As of early 2022, Khalif Adale (Adale) has served as another Al-Shabaab’s finance leader tasked for sourcing and collecting money from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and has reported directly to Al-Shabaab’s emir Ahmed Diriye. Adale was part of al-Shabaab leader Mahad Karate’s team within the al-Shabaab organizational structure and maintained communication with Karate.
- Mustaf ‘Ato
He is a senior Amniyaat official tasked for coordinating and conducting Al-Shabaab operations in Somalia and Kenya. He has been very much involved in masterminding and planning attacks on Kenyan targets and U.S. military compounds in Kenya.
- Mohamoud Abdi Aden
He is an Al-Shabaab leader and who was part of the cell that masterminded and planned the Dusit2 Hotel attack in 2019, in Nairobi Kenya.
The United States remains steadfast in our support of East African and African Union-led efforts to counter the threat from Al-Shabaab, one of Al-Qaeda’s most dangerous affiliates, responsible killing thousands of people, including Americans, in Somalia and across East Africa.
The Department of State has designated Al-Shabaab leaders as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended and is designating a network of nine Al-Shabaab financial facilitators.
How Critical is Terrorism Financing?
Terrorist financing is the collection or the provision of funds for terrorist purposes.
Notably, terrorism financing basically involves three stages;
- Raising of funds, through donations, self-funding, microloans or criminal activity.
- Transferring the funds, to a terrorist, terror network, organization or cell.
- Using the funds, for instance, to facilitate logistics, to purchase weapons or bombs, to make payment to terrorists or insurgents, or funding expenses of terror networks.
Terrorist groups require financial resources to sustain themselves and perpetrate their terrorist operations. Terrorist financing incorporates the ways and methods used by terrorist groups to source and finance their activities. The finances can come from legitimate sources and also the terrorist groups can get their finances from illegal activities.
Legitimate finances can be sourced from profits from businesses and charitable organizations but also, they can raise funds from illegal activities such as trafficking weapons, drugs or people and kidnapping for ransom. Terrorist funding often takes the form of multiple small donations, rather than one large sum of money to minimize suspicion.
Thus, the countering channels of terrorism financing is a vital part of the global fight against terror and jihadist organization. Terrorists and terror organizations persist on raising money for terrorism and as such countries are encouraged to develop actionable policies aimed to avert terror financing and as part of global consensus to work in cohesion. Terror attacks and activities are a threat to every country and continent and their objective is to disturb peace and harmony in communities, as well as to disrupt the economy and growth trajectory.
